GL1100 head, before and after

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Steve81GL1100
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GL1100 head, before and after

#1

Post by Steve81GL1100 »

Well since the wife was off at the orchid show all day, I spent some quality time with the parts cleaner and starting to work on the heads on my 81. Remember, the DPO took the left head off and disassembled it, so I started with that one. After cleaning everything, de-coking the valves, lapping them to their seats, and putting the valve assemblies back together, here's what I have:
Image

Here's a close-up of a "new" combustion chamber:
Image

For comparison, here's a shot of one of the cc's on the right head, which I haven't done yet:
Image

All that's left to do on the left side is install one more set of valve retainers (more on that...)and install the cam with its new oil seal. Here's what I did:
-- Clean everything with carb cleaner
--Scotch-brite on the back sides of the valves around the base of the stems to clear off the carbon build-up
--Clean off the old gasket and run the head on emery cloth on a piece of glass to ensure flatness (it was)
--Lap the valves lightly with valve grinding paste to ensure they're seating fully and all the way around (they are)
--Install new OEM Honda valve stem seals
--Re-install the valves, springs, and keepers
--Cams will be re-installed with new OEM Honda oil seals
--New OEM Honda head gaskets will be used upon install
Now about that last valve assembly..... While installing it, I had the springs compressed (with my home-brewed valve spring compressor; a jorgensen camp and my own designed compressor -- a piece of 1/2" copper tubing with a window cut in it to put the keepers through), the compressor assembly slipped off the top of the spring assembly. As you'd expect, there's quite a bit of energy in those springs when fully compressed, and parts flew off in all directions at the speed of light. Luckily, I was in the dining room and not in the garage or I never would have found any of the pieces. As it is, I found all but one of the little keepers ("valve cotters" in Honda-speak). I gave up hunting, and will call the local dealer tomorrow to see if they have a few in stock. I figure even if they charge list price it's cheaper and faster than ordering them at a little bit of a discount and paying shipping.
So that's as far as I get today...
Steve
Steve
1981 GL 1100 Standard, 81 Interstate bags, 84 GL1200 pegs, sometime National Cycle PlexiStar windshield
1996 BMW R1100R
2007 Piaggio X9 Evo500, wife's ride so she can keep up with the GL
1980 Vespa P200 (also wife's), restored, with custom paint, custom trim
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Steve81GL1100
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Posts: 522
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2012 12:01 am
Location: West Chicago, IL

Re: GL1100 head, before and after

#2

Post by Steve81GL1100 »

I don't know what that funny white spot is at the 12 o'clock position of the right intake valve in both pics. Must be some sort of reflection -- there's nothing there when I look at it "in person"....
Steve
Steve
1981 GL 1100 Standard, 81 Interstate bags, 84 GL1200 pegs, sometime National Cycle PlexiStar windshield
1996 BMW R1100R
2007 Piaggio X9 Evo500, wife's ride so she can keep up with the GL
1980 Vespa P200 (also wife's), restored, with custom paint, custom trim
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sunnbobb
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Location: LaConner, WA

Re: GL1100 head, before and after

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Post by sunnbobb »

Nicely done.
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1978 Learning Experience
1980 County Road Hauler "Brain Damage"
1978 Cafe Custom Gl1000 "Vyper"
1977 Bulldog Inspired "Vaincre"
1981 Street Fighter GL1100 "No Quarter"
1983 Supercharged Street Drag "Anubis" (in worx)
1983 gl1100 mint restoration "Kristen"
1985 Aspencade..pondering.
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