<VV> Head Problems

[Byron Comp]

Thanks for everybody's comments and support. Yes, this was a recently rebuilt 
engine, just re-installed a few weeks ago. There must be some other trick I 
don't know about, too, 'cause I pulled everything loose on that side, gently 
pried the push rod tubes loose from the block, and then began trying to work the 
head off the cylinder jugs. Two and six came away OK, but four refused to budge 
and instead pulled the cylinder off the piston to where the rings now need to be 
recompressed. (See what I mean about it pouring!) But the current problem is, 
there seems to be too little clearance between the head, as extended on the long 
engine bolts, and the sheet metal body side of the engine bay. What am I 
missing? And how can I get the rings compressed again? The ring compressor sold 
by my FLAPS certainly isn't going to do it.

As for the "compent CORVAIR shop", that's partly why I'm in this fix in the 
first place. There doesn't seem to be one within 100 miles of me. The one 
recommended by the local club is the guy who forgot to put the lower shrouds 
back on before installing the rebuilt heads in the first place. Now it seems 
he's also the one, along with the machine shop he sent the heads out to, as 
well, who failed to notice the oversize hole in the head now in question. Again, 
it proves the old adage, "If you want something done right, you'd better do it 
yourself." I was both too naive and with too few tools and savvy to do it 
myself and thought his reputation prevented him from screwing up my job; but as 
it turns out, I'm now further behind than I was when I picked up the engine from 
him several months ago. And possibly in deeper trouble and money to boot.

Makes me wonder if it'll be ready for Denver after all.

Byron Comp
'64 Vert back in pieces
Gainesville, FL



>Message: 2
>Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:21:42 -0500
>From: Les Honke <corvair at mymts.net>
>Subject: Re: <VV> Further Problems - was Oil Issues
>To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>, <byron.comp at yahoo.com>
>Message-ID: <BLU155-w45F32C2CBF07CF24869B2EA7B50 at phx.gbl>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
>
>Byron, it's probably time to pull that head (can be done without removing 
>engine, you're almost all the way there already) and take it to a good Corvair 
>>head rebuilder to get the hole welded/retapped.
>
>Don't recall if this was a rebuilt engine or not, if not might be just as far 
>ahead to install a good used matching head.
>
>Les
>corvair at mts.net