No big deal for my first ‘new headgasket’ ! STAGE-2 is a good opportunity again to use the full potential of the ‘HSPP’ (Honda Swapping Parts Possibilities ^^). Head will receive a pair of TYPE-R Integra 1998+ camshaft and a brand new set of double Brian-Crower springs.
General view of the head removed and prepared for the machine shop.
Everything’s removed except springs and valves to protect valve seats during machining.
Aircraft carrier deck !
And the whole head ready to go !
With a few days off before the head comes back from the shop, I prepared the two most important tools for the job :
- A spring compressor. No explanations needed I think … I choose a diesel injectors socket to have room for removing and installing valve keepers.
- A shoebox (with drawings ^^) : you must be careful with your valves removal ! One valve has a place and only one on your head. If you put them back on it like me you SHOULD NOT change their respective place.
Each valve is ‘popped’ into the cardboard to store everything correctly. Same for the keepers.
The head back from the shop. It was never machined before and I have plenty of ‘material’ on it for a future bigger preparation.
But as it is not the purpose this time, the shop removed the minimum amount of material with around 3/100 millimetres.
The first removed valve. My homemade tool is not the easyest one to use but it’s ok.
All valves on the shoebox. Remember to write its orientation (intake and exhaust side) because without appropriate markings, rotate the box 180° cw or ccw and you’re lost ^^ !
Spring compressor.
Nothing special here but I simply finished to remove old intake manifold seal and stuff like this.
Removing old valves seal. If like me you don’t want to invest into the right tool here is how I did :
- Take a pair of pliers and adjust it on a seal to check it.
- Use a small gas burner
- Simply heat a seal during 10 seconds (make tests ..)
- Heating it helps melting the part and it’s really easy then to remove it with the pair of pliers.
Shinny ready head.
Valves side.
Just after this picture I discovered that all runners were having sharp edges below valves seats. Even if doing a porting of the head is not the target, I decided to just smoothly remove those edges with a pneumatic tool.
It took time to work properly but at the end the difference is huge ! I’m sure this is a detail but it can been only positiv for airflow improvement.
Valves break-in kit. There is a thick and fine grain break-in oil in it but only used the fine one.
Job done on one valve. There is 15 more to do … ^^ !
New OEM Honda valves seals for both intake and exhaust side.
Installed.
The other side of the head waiting for valves seals … and a preview of my upgrades.
A brand new set of Brian Crower DOUBLE valve springs. When installing ITR camshafts you need to forget your simple springs as they can cause severe damages (floating valves) over 7800 RPM.
Double check everything : use a the wood back of a hammer to gently push the reassembled valves. Springs will move a little bit and you’ll check that all keepers stay in their places.
One side done
I also decided to install brand new TYPE-R Integra LMA (Lost Motion Assembly) to avoid floating problems with the VTEC center cam when VTEC is not engaged.
Difference between LMAs : B16a on the left VS ITR on the right. ITR LMA springs are harder than on the B16a1.
New small seals. These goes into oil VTEC runners on entry side of the head.
