1987 gl1200 w/ 17k seized?

[pidjones]

Take the opportunity you have now to pull all valves, clean their stems, and replace the stem seals (they are inexpensive). If any valves are pitted, they can be replaced. Don't grind Honda valves (can be lightly lapped) but you can grind their seats. New valves are readily available aftermarket.

 

[Rednaxs60]

Use a straight edge and feeler gauges on the heads and cylinder block. Service limit is 0.004" (0.10 mm). Interesting you can't find a machine shop to service the heads.

 

[Thombar]

Our only machine shop didnt have any way to secure the smaller head in the resurfacer frame. When asked who could was told Atlanta, big bucks and long time. I tried using straight edge, seemed inaccurate. I barely took off the ink I put on and now have mirror smooth, true surface. My concern now is how to remove valve springs to service and then how to thoroughly clean head w/ cam assembly installed?
Thanks, Tom

Can you see the pics I attached to the last reply?

 

[D-50Dave]

No pix

 

[pidjones]

I used a standard valve spring compresser. Had to be careful with placement and not put side-force on it. I placed a shop rag under the valves to keep them closed (people feed in rope through the plug hole when replacing seals without removing the head). Keepers come out easy using tweezers, small screwdriver, and a magnet. Keep each valve and its springs/lands/keepers in their own labled baggy. The valves should only be lightly lapped as they are surfaced with a Stellite coating. If pitted they are fairly inexpensive to replace from aftermarket. On one bike, the seats were badly pitted but a local guy reground all of them for ten bucks.
There are cheapo spring compressers like this one at your auto parts store. There are better, too but this one can work. Some guys even slot a tall socket and combine it with a large C-clamp.

 

[Thombar]

Thx for that advise using standard spring compressor. I can borrow one of those. Im still concerned about cleaning head well enough to reassemble. Can anything get into the cam - lifter area that would need flushed, trying not to go any deeper than I have to.
Hurricane Fred got me pinned down for the day!

 

[pidjones]

Just make sure the oil feed ports through to the cam bearings are free and the feed from the block (where the restrictor goes) is clean. I lost a head and cam due to a PO using RTV on valve cover gaskets and a piece of it getting into the oil feed somehow. Less than a BB sized piece blocked the restrictor and gave a total loss of oil to the right head, causing the center bearing to seize and snap the cam in half there. Bike kept running until the float bowls ran dry.

 

[Thombar]

If I were to flush all w/ kerosine and a brush, then blow w/ compressed air would the ports and cavities inside the head be cleaned of resurfacing debris etc? How can I assure no kero left to contaminate new oil after reassembly. Saturate head with oil, cycle cam, and drain before assembly?

 

[pidjones]

I would do as you listed with the cam and carrier removed and flush the carrier separately. Then put them together with the journels well lubricated with your favorite assembly lube. The torque specs and order for the carrier are in the Honda manual. Flushing with the cam in place might just move swarf into a journal volume.

 

[Thombar]

Thank you Pidjones. Will take head completely down to clean and lube. What assembly lube would you recommend?

 

[joedrum]

I agree ...

 

[pidjones]

Thombar » Wed Aug 18, 2021 10:21 am[/url]":1s3so0fi]
Thank you Pidjones. Will take head completely down to clean and lube. What assembly lube would you recommend?

Just go down to the parts store and ask for assembly lube. In the old days we used STP, but now they have special lubes for it. Any should do. It is just to lube the parts until full oil flow is established.

 

[Thombar]

Ok cool. Was worried about contaminating the motorcycle oil w/ a lubricant not compatible w/ clutch tolerances. Thanks, Tom