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Originally Posted by billman250,Jan 26 2006, 10:07 AM
I've had some of the best mechanics I know pull the head and use studs instead of the OEM bolts, and have headgasket failures under high boost. They went back to stock bolts and it cured the problem.
I bought an OEM head gasket and will check/reuse stock bolts. The only way I'll end up not pulling the head is if I can rent the spark plug tool and the overhead valve compressor locally.
If you have a compression gauge, you can simply screw in the extension hose into the spark plug hole and attach an air supply.
This is my "no head removal" valve spring compressor. Notice the silver part of the puller, which has small appendages pointing downward. I have cut off the two on the close side, making it S2000 friendly. it works very well, and fast.
Originally Posted by billman250,Jan 26 2006, 11:23 AM
This is my "no head removal" valve spring compressor. Notice the silver part of the puller, which has small appendages pointing downward. I have cut off the two on the close side, making it S2000 friendly. it works very well, and fast.
Originally Posted by billman250,Jan 26 2006, 01:02 PM
Keep in mind the Ti retainers may have a very short service life, possibly 15k miles. You'd have to search around about that.
I've searched but thus far have found only talk and no proof. All of the retainer failures that have been posted are due to the stock retainers. What alternative to the stock retainers is there other than Ti?
A stock retainer won't fail unless provoked by a mechanical over-rev. I myself am thinking about trying 04 retainers. They are beefier than the earlier ones.
Originally Posted by billman250,Jan 26 2006, 02:32 PM
A stock retainer won't fail unless provoked by a mechanical over-rev. I myself am thinking about trying 04 retainers. They are beefier than the earlier ones.
My car hasn't been significantly over revved but it is taken past 9000 regularly (while heel-toeing). I think the Ti retainers will be better able to stand this abuse, we'll see. My rev limit will probably be set at 9k (to limit boost).
I'm going to look into getting the valve compressor and air fitting, you guys may have convinced me to do it the easy way....
01-26-2006, 05:34 AM
