Did I buy a worthless cylinder head?

[Bluesmudge]

So awhile back I bent my exhaust valves by putting my engine back together out of time. I bought a complete top end that came from an engine that threw a bearing or something in the bottom end. My plan was to just swap the complete working top end into my GS and call it good.

Fast forward a month or two and I'm finally finishing up the project. I'm getting ready to slide the head onto the fresh head gasket when I decide to copy down the shim number for future reference. Turns out, the exhaust valve buckets don't turn! The only way I can get them to turn is by putting a flat-head screwdriver in the little notch and hitting it with a hammer. But they should turn easily with a finger.

So whats the deal? Are these valves just as toast as my originals? Or are the buckets just wedged in there? I haven't been able to pull the exhaust buckets out. Should I start looking for a deal on a different complete head?

[BaltimoreGS]

I wouldn't condemn it yet.  If the head has been out of the bike for a while they just might have seized up with light corrosion.  Try a little penetrating oil.  If you have a rubber mallet you could give it some taps to move it up and down a little.  They may free up   

-Jessie

[J_Walker]

Put a hand grenade into it, make sure to pull the pin and step about 6 feet away. That should loosen it up.

[tt_four]

Did you check to make sure that the camshaft lobe wasn't pressing on it?

Try pressing directly down on it and see if it moves that way. As long as it goes up and down, I wouldn't be too concerned with it spinning.

[Bluesmudge]

Did you check to make sure that the camshaft lobe wasn't pressing on it?

Try pressing directly down on it and see if it moves that way. As long as it goes up and down, I wouldn't be too concerned with it spinning.

The entire head is off the bike, no cams installed. I've never installed this head on my bike. And I don't plan to if the valves are already shot, although I guess I could install it and do a compression test. But if that didn't work wouldn't I have to get another set up head/cylinder base gaskets and copper washers? For the price I could almost buy another complete head.

[Bluesmudge]

Also tried hitting it with a hammer, and sliding it back and forth with the screwdriver/hammer combo to try and free it up. No luck so far.

[J_Walker]

HAND GRENADE!!! IT will work TRUST ME!

[Smokebombb]

Use a valve spring compressor to see if it will at least go up and down.  If so then you're good.   

You can also try heating up the head in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes to loosen the buckets and allow them to spin.  See my engine rebuild post here http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=58696.0

For some reason the exhaust valve buckets can be tight when cold.  I recently redid my head and the oven trick worked great for removing a stuck exhaust bucket.

[Bluesmudge]

Thanks, Smokebombb! Thats the kind of info I need. I'll let you know if it was just the tolerances at cold temperature.

[Toogoofy317]

Hey Smudge long time no see! If your head is indeed toast send me a PM.

Mary

[Bluesmudge]

I thought I would give an update to this thread because it contained some information that I had never heard before.

The exhaust valve buckets can stick at cold temperatures. I guess this is normal?

I confirmed this for my head by holding a head gun to the head for 5 minutes, and sure enough -- the buckets moved easily.
So, for anyone who is doing valve work in the future, you may need to heat the head in order to get the exhaust valve buckets out.

My head is back on the bike and I am just waiting for my new torque wrench to come in the mail before I put it all back together. Wish me luck!

[Toogoofy317]

You don't need luck I just did it on Flick he is running better than ever he went from 138 miles a tank to 198 
its not too bad but follow the break in like when you buy the bike new.  I believe this is really helping on Flick.
Mary