cmysix

iTrader: (2)

When a person takes their heads to have them milled, do they have to be disassembled or can they be milled WITHOUT being disassembled? I don't want to pay for work I don't need, don't want to sound like a rube when talking to machine shop.

G Atsma

Strippem!

KCS

iTrader: (20)

They need to be disassembled. Milling is going to throw metal chips and debris all over and the best way to make sure to clean it of all that debris is to disassemble anyways.

Smokey B

^^^^^ °

cookseyb

Strip them and get a valve job wjile they are set up...

cmysix

iTrader: (2)

there new 2000 miles maybe? trick flows, hundreds if not thousands of pics online of them being cut ether way, gentleman I'm talking too about doing it, says as long as valves are .030 below the surface they can do it complete, this is what he does, he's a head rebuilder/repairer, As far as the chips go, the heads are valve side up, chips are flying to the sides, don't foresee any trouble cleaning them up. BTW This particular shop charges $40 set-up each head and $2 per thousand cut so in my case $80 a head, seems fair. in some of the vids on line a guy can take quite awhile getting the head square to the cutting head

NEstyle

iTrader: (1)

You asked a question, got advice, and don't want to listen? Chips will get everywhere. Did you ever notice how there are huge holes in the pushrod area that are open to the top of the head? The chips will fly up those holes and lay on the top part of the head where the springs are. I had my assembled heads cut and the chips were literally everywhere. In the oil passages, in the coolant holes, all over the springs. How do you expect to clean all of that stuff with the valves and springs installed? You can't, you have to disassemble them. So, either disassemble them before you get them cut or after. I guess you could be a hack and just blow them off and hope for the best, but why?

G Atsma

Strip. The. Heads.
Or invite a much greater possibility of trouble ahead. Why take the chance???

KCS

iTrader: (20)

Nailed it.

Most mills will allow the machinist to cut the heads either way, but again, most professionals will recommend taking the heads apart to clean them, which can be done before or after the milling process. You can always buy an LS specific spring removal tool for about $80 and do it yourself.

cmysix

iTrader: (2)

I'm a millwright use a. Bridgeport mill and a lathe every week. What would the valves and springs in place have anything to do with the oil or coolant passages Oh and by the way the heads DO NOT have oil passages, that's what your push rods do as for as the push rod galleys the chips would fall right thru ya know gravity sucks as far as the coolant passages gee I could flusters them out with a hose, ya think? And then there is the ports which you can see in and yes flush with water and air, I think I would brush up on how an engine works before giving advice on a build, NAILED IT!

NEstyle

iTrader: (1)

I have a lathe and Bridgeport, too. What the hell does that prove?

Why did you even start this thread if you're going to disregard every bit of common sense and experience from the folks who took the time to try to help you? I'm out. No time for this ****.

cmysix

iTrader: (2)

I SIMPLY asked if it could be done assembled, that's all, you CAN, you said you had yours done that way, any problems after you cleaned them?

G Atsma

The ability to do something does NOT mean it's a good idea. He DID do his that way, but it does not sound like he liked the results. Those advising disassembly far outnumber those who don't. I would call that a consensus. And those people are some of the most knowledgeable ones on this forum.

Che70velle

iTrader: (6)

My machine shop won’t cut an assembled head. Period.

KCS

iTrader: (20)

That’s not a thorough enough cleaning for me to be comfortable with, but they’re your heads and it sounds like you have already decided. Best of luck to you, hope it all works out.

KW Baraka

iTrader: (7)

Exactly. Milling assembled heads is not what machine shops do. It's like a paint shop who will paint your car without stripping the old paint. A quality shop JUST WON'T do it.

It's just plain sloppy.......and if your shop is sloppy enough to mill assembled heads, you should strongly consider going elsewhere.

KW