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Flycutting....should I be scared of it?

Old 12-09-2007, 05:53 PM
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Default Flycutting....should I be scared of it?

I am planning on going with the MS4 this winter and am trying to decide what heads to go with. I've seen alot of guys making pretty big power with the MS4 and TSP PRC 2.5 heads, however, this requires flycutting. The only heads that don't are the PRC 1.5's but these don't seem to make quite the power that the 2.5's do and it's pretty much the same price with only a few hundred dollars difference. So I think that I want to go with the PRC 2.5 stage 2 heads.

My problem is that I've never done any flycutting on pistons and it seems like you can screw quite a bit up if you don't know what you're doing so it makes me nervous. And all of the shops around here said they wont do it unless I pull the motor... So, what do you guys think? Should I just go with the 1.5's and not worry about the flycutting or should I go with the stage 2's and flycut myself? How hard is it?
Old 12-09-2007, 06:00 PM
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good READ here!

I'll be doin mine within a month or so, and just like you I am nervous
Old 12-09-2007, 06:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Posi12Bolt
good READ here!

I'll be doin mine within a month or so, and just like you I am nervous

Yeah, I read through that a few times to get a general idea of how to do it and I'm really not sure that I want to try it.... It seems like it would be pretty difficult to get to 7 and 8 on the motor as they are under the cowl.
Old 12-09-2007, 07:42 PM
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Originally Posted by 98RedBird
Yeah, I read through that a few times to get a general idea of how to do it and I'm really not sure that I want to try it.... It seems like it would be pretty difficult to get to 7 and 8 on the motor as they are under the cowl.
It's really not that bad. You just need the right tools. You can get something that mounts on the drill and will turn make a 90 degree turn so you can fit it up in there. Call up LG and rent their flycutting kit (scrap head with no valve seat and cutters) and you'll be good to go with this drill bit right angle thingy (technical term)
Old 12-09-2007, 07:57 PM
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do they just ship it to you?

i dont think it would be too hard, but still...its a big step.
Old 12-09-2007, 10:56 PM
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its not hard with the rite tools i did a car yesterday once i took the heads off it only took me 2 hours to do all 8 pistons
Old 12-10-2007, 01:02 AM
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Is there another write up besides the one posted earlier in this thread. I would like to read a few different write ups. Thanks
Old 12-10-2007, 01:15 AM
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i am currently in the same situation. i want heads to match up with my ms4 but want something more than the 1.5's...
Old 12-10-2007, 01:25 AM
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Originally Posted by FadedSS
i am currently in the same situation. i want heads to match up with my ms4 but want something more than the 1.5's...
Trick Flow 215's would make killer power with an MS4 and I believe they have close to the same clearance as stock heads. However they are like $2500...
Old 12-10-2007, 01:19 PM
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im just going to ***** up and do it. if i **** something up that is my excuse for diamonds and a forged bottom end.
Old 12-10-2007, 04:52 PM
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Originally Posted by bww3588
im just going to ***** up and do it. if i **** something up that is my excuse for diamonds and a forged bottom end.
That's cool.... I'm glad you have the money for that lol. I however, don't. So I think I'm going to stick with the PRC LS6 1.5's. I've been reading and talking to TSP and they can make some pretty good power!
Old 12-10-2007, 09:11 PM
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If you mess up flycutting, please kill yourself. It's that simple.
Old 12-10-2007, 10:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Xtnct00WS6
It's really not that bad. You just need the right tools. You can get something that mounts on the drill and will turn make a 90 degree turn so you can fit it up in there. Call up LG and rent their flycutting kit (scrap head with no valve seat and cutters) and you'll be good to go with this drill bit right angle thingy (technical term)

How much does LG charge to rent the kit?
Old 12-11-2007, 08:32 PM
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Originally Posted by N4cer
If you mess up flycutting, please kill yourself. It's that simple.
hahaha... ok..
Old 12-11-2007, 08:52 PM
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I did it two weeks ago, I bought all the tools from Thunder, It only took about 5 hours going very, very slow, its not hard at all. would do it again in half the time or less, simple.
Old 12-12-2007, 11:10 AM
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Originally Posted by gtorep
I did it two weeks ago, I bought all the tools from Thunder, It only took about 5 hours going very, very slow, its not hard at all. would do it again in half the time or less, simple.
yeah Id guess anywhere from 2-5 hours depending on your mechanical ability, space, tools, and IF you actually check all the cuts for depth and triple check valve to piston clearance AFTER the cutting too.

as stated, nothing hard, just time consuming. about the only way you could F'up your engine doin this, is if you dont take the time to do it cleanly (is that a word?), or if you dont tighten down that coller enough and when your cutting you push down on the cutter/drill and cut too deep. I ended up cutting most pistons 2 or 3 times cause I was a bit paranoid the collar would slip and cut too deep. plus after doin it once, decided I should also cut the exh. notch's too.

but its a good learning experience and is well worth the extra insurance. me personally wouldnt do an MS4 w/o flycutting even in a cam only setup cause its easy enough to bend a valve with the stock cam and missing a gear. let alone after making the clearance tighter then the generally accepted .080I/.100E. Im pretty sure they have seen .040" clearanceon average cam only MS4 installs, and thats not good enough for me. plenty have done it, but again, I like solid #s, and to be safe.

I paid LGM I think it was $160 for the tool, plus shipping cost both ways. they give you 2 weeks which ofcourse is way longer then you need IF you have the eng. ready to go when the tool show's up. in the end I paid $230 after shipping cost's were factored in. but be aware they also make you pay a deposit cost. which is understandable thats refunded when the tool show's up safe and sound at there shop.

chris
Old 12-12-2007, 04:39 PM
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I am working on my own flycutting tool that would not require removeing the seat's.
I plan on useing my own heads to do it.

My plan is to get one new exhauste and intake valve and machine 8 slits in them about 3/16 wide then tig weld a small bead of tool steel weld on the leading edge. grind it flat and then put a deg or 2 of releif on it so it will cut and not chatter.

Also i the weld will be about .015 higher than the rest of the valve to control how fast it cut's.

And then the one size bigger debate. I think as long as the cutter is the same or maybe .030 bigger should work as long as you use a thinner spacer to cut with than what youre head gasket is.

My idea is to use 1 peice of a stock mls gasket(pull it apart). you only need enough to clear the pist .006

and due to the angle the valve travels in. As the head move's out( thicker head gasket)
the contact point of the valve to piston move's down away from the eyebrow you cut.


So that will keep the cc's down and the scr up.

Just a idea. I will try it. but if it works i could make these for $20 more than the cheapest valves i can get. so like maybe $50 bucks for youre own cutter with tool steel cutting edge's.

And for the depth will be controlled by a simple lock collar you can buy from msc or grainger for 5 buck's. Set the depth with a feeler gage and lock it down and cut till the collar is rubbing on the valve guide.

I think it will work .do not know. I just think it would be nice to cut pistons for less .

My cam will be here friday so i should know by monday.

mike
Old 12-12-2007, 04:48 PM
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Why are people removing the seat? I only did the intake side, but I know I didn't have to remove the seat to flycut it.
Old 12-12-2007, 05:14 PM
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Originally Posted by N4cer
Why are people removing the seat? I only did the intake side, but I know I didn't have to remove the seat to flycut it.
he's talking about when people use a scrap head to cut the notch's with, the cutters are very thick, unlike a real valve. and larger diameter so it wouldnt go up in a valve seat at all, and you wouldnt be able to physically install the cutting tool (scrap head with cutters in it) if you didnt remove the seat. but thats why you use a scrap head for this. I guess it might be possible to grind a cutter down to fit mostly into a stock seat, second thought, no I seriously doubt it.

how exactly did you do the flycutting? did you use your stock head for it?
Old 12-12-2007, 05:40 PM
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"I guess it might be possible to grind a cutter down to fit mostly into a stock seat, second thought, no I seriously doubt it."


Yes you can.

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