GS1100 valvetrain questions

[Guest]

I have a used head being sent my way from a guy in California and when it gets here I want to check it all out of course before putting it on my motor. He claims it only has 1,000 miles on it and is lightly ported to work good with 36mm flatslides. I am for sure going to put new valve seals in it and I am going to probably swap my current springs over to the new head.

Questions:
What is the installed spring height supposed to be? (The distance from spring retainer to where spring sits on head)

I am running .340" lift cams. What spring pressure do I need? My springs are supposed to be heavy duty but I just ordered a spring pressure checker and want to verify that they are and that none are weak.

Also, how do you set the timing chain tension with a manual tensioner? Do you like to "preload" the chain or just run up the tensioner to where it just touches the chain?

Finally, how are you supposed to use APE heavy duty studs if the heavy duty nuts are just normal nuts. The factory nuts on the front two center studs have o-rings on them to seal the oil from leaking out and the outer 4 most studs have nuts that are tapped on top to hold the valve cover down.
Thanks a bunch!

[posplayr]

I have a used head being sent my way from a guy in California and when it gets here I want to check it all out of course before putting it on my motor. He claims it only has 1,000 miles on it and is lightly ported to work good with 36mm flatslides. I am for sure going to put new valve seals in it and I am going to probably swap my current springs over to the new head.

Questions:
What is the installed spring height supposed to be? (The distance from spring retainer to where spring sits on head)

I am running .340" lift cams. What spring pressure do I need? My springs are supposed to be heavy duty but I just ordered a spring pressure checker and want to verify that they are and that none are weak.

Also, how do you set the timing chain tension with a manual tensioner? Do you like to "preload" the chain or just run up the tensioner to where it just touches the chain?

Finally, how are you supposed to use APE heavy duty studs if the heavy duty nuts are just normal nuts. The factory nuts on the front two center studs have o-rings on them to seal the oil from leaking out and the outer 4 most studs have nuts that are tapped on top to hold the valve cover down.
Thanks a bunch!

The main things to check are:

• Guides (there is a procedure for checking side movement in the manual)
• Seats (blue the seats and lap them to see how the valves seat.)
• Check flatness.
• Check for stripped holes and helicoil as required.
• Check followers (I have used a buffing wheel and rouge to clean up surface roughness).
• Make sure cams spin nicely with valves out
• DO NOT OVER TORQUE CAM BOLTS!!! CHECK THE MANUAL and calibrate your 3/8 drive torque wrench (Buy all new and even helicoil them)

1. Most people just stick with the APE street springs in and don't measure spring height or pressure. I don't even want to guess at the seat pressure but I think stock is something like 40 and HD 50. There are race springs that are even stiffer. If they are APE gve them a call.
2. With the .340 cams you should have a top end oiler.
3. How are your followers? Mic your old cam to see how much it is chewed up.
4. You tension the chain till you can push down in the middle and get like a 1/8" deflection with 2-4 lbs of force. (I'm guessing because it is based on feel).
5. I never changed the studs on my 1166.

RapidRay can answer most any question but he would rather talk that bank answers out on a keyboard.


I don't know if you saw this.

Terry is still doing heads and can probably freshen your up.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?137631-Low-Cost-High-Performance-GS1100E-Head-work&highlight=Low+cost+head

[Paul.S]

I have a brand new set of .340 cams that I am going to use. My rocker arms look good. The cams that I was running in it were .345" cams and I never had a top end oiler. I ran Rotella 15-40 diesel oil and my oil pressure was more than 15psi if I remember right at high rpm. I would run a top end oiler but don't want to have to deal with the whole oil pressure sending unit relocation and whatnot. I really think I will be fine as I drove the crap out of it at high rpm before I ended up melting 2 pistons and the cams and head looked great.