LIFTER BORE CHAMFERING TOOL

I purchased a 1˝ chamfering cone and welded a 6˝ extension to it. This is for chamfering the top and bottom of lifter bores in blocks. This saves time and leaves a better finish than doing them with a stone and grinder.

Kevin Elam

Liberty Machine

Liberty, MO

A QUICK TIP

Sometimes you need to just remove a few thousandths from a valve tip to get clearance on an OHC valve adjuster that uses pucks.

I’ve found that grinding on valve refacer can sometimes take too much off, especially on very small stem valves. For fine adjustments I use a machinist’s block covered with a sheet of 400 grit emory-cloth and I remove the V-block from the valve refacer to use as a holder for my valve.

With both on a flat surface I can make a couple passes across the emory-cloth with the valve tip and remove a thousandth or two at a time, while keeping everything parallel. This worked well recently with some small titanium valves for a motorcycle head.

Allan Lincoln

Lincoln Automotive

Mauldin, SC

USING SOLDER TO GET CORRECT INTAKE FIT

If you have an intake that doesn’t seem to be fitting correctly, a quick check on the face-to-intake angles can be done, using this method to measure the amounts you’ll need  to mill off.

Take four pieces of thick acid core solder and tape them on each corner of the head, top to bottom on the intake face. Next, install and snug the intake to compress the solder enough to get a measurement. Remove the intake and measure the solder from top to bottom, checking the angle fitment in the process. This process can be used to determine the over/under of the gasket being used for intake milling for fit. Different thicknesses of solder can be used for this check. Bonus tip; thick solder works great for checking rod to cam clearance. Rotate the engine and let the solder get crushed in the suspect area. Simply measure afterward.

Ron Flood

Cedar Machine

North Branch, MN

CORDLESS THREAD CHASING

I use a worn-out tap to clean threads in blocks and heads. I chuck the tap in a cordless drill with a ratchet clutch. This way I won’t break off the tap if it hits bottom. This greatly speeds up thread cleaning jobs.

Wes Schell

Schell Engine and Machine

Gregory, SD

INTAKE SCREENS

Screens on your doors and windows work to keep unwanted things out of your house. New intake manifold gaskets for 3.7L and 4.7L Dodge and Jeep products are designed to do just that.

These new problem solver gaskets include a special stainless screen that keeps debris from a previous engine failure out of a rebuilt or repaired engine.

In many cases when a valve seat explodes pieces go back up the intake and get lodged in the plastic plenum. If these pieces come out at a later date they can destroy the rebuilt engine.

Most production builders currently require a new plenum purchase or the warranty is void. Cleaning out the old plenum has proven to be ineffective in getting all the debris out , but at over $400 for a new plenum, many try in vain to clean the old one. By using these intake gaskets the debris is harmlessly captured by the screen and can’t do any damage. The added protection of the screen will help protect the job.

If you are not familiar with the issues these vehicles have, there are a bunch of videos available online showing what goes on. Check out, “What’s in a 4.7L intake?”

Engine Pro Tech Committee