Cylinder Head Rework

[Jota Rob]

Bit of an update on my head, despite not being used for 12 years, it hasn't fixed itself.

Several operations each by different persons.

The head was soft and not useable. Cam pillars had sunk again,top deck too thin.
M7 std holes collapsing outward, bending studs.
Several threads pulled.

I had the top welded with rods I bought and supplied. I preheated the head and bolted it, although I had to go back a second time after a light skim to add weld because of the crown contour.

I then had the head heat treated.

Then had the chamber's laser welded.

Followed by some not inconsiderable machining work. It now sits at 93.85mm.

The cam bucket bores have tightened which needs addressing and care with new guides, so plenty of time to mess it up yet.

 

[Jota Rob]

More pics

The final 2, are where I'm at now. Its Been hard work and I didn't do any of it apart from removing guides at 180⁰c

 

[Vince]

Nice simple bike, anyone can fix them. Impressive Engineering right there.

 

[piranha-bro2]

Impressive resto work - after all that toil I hope it holds up and doesn't just go the way of when it was new!!

 

[Jota Rob]

I hope it holds up too. There's not many options , even if you find a " good" used head, you still have to spend a shed load to get it tuned, ported etc.
On Reds advice, I'm going to ceramic coat the hot path of the head/ valves etc
I've already used the coatings so I'm confident I can do that part.

 

[bazzee]

I hope it holds up too. There's not many options , even if you find a " good" used head, you still have to spend a shed load to get it tuned, ported etc.
On Reds advice, I'm going to ceramic coat the hot path of the head/ valves etc
I've already used the coatings so I'm confident I can do that part.

Just wondering. Why six pistons?

 

[Jota Rob]

It took 4-5 months to commission these, then to treat them. I don't want to go through that with a broken bike waiting . It's not unknown to damage a piston for any reason.

No V6 2.3 litre

 

[CLEMTOG]

I saw that head at Rob's house, when the welding of the top face was done, I just was gobsmacked at the amount of work that it was going to take to get that bit of kit back to good running order, but here is a man who only knows one way, ITS THE RIGHT WAY, he researches, learns, takes his time, and that applies not to just his bikes, but most everything including, something that I am a specialist in, his heating and hot water system, which is wood fired, runs on thermo syphon (no circulating pump for those that need to know) and is installed 100% to the letter, in 55 years in this business and specialising in wood/pellet fired plant from small houses to mega factories, I have never seen an individual prepared to get it right and not compromise, there is always...."that will be alright" and with wood in 99.99% of cases it isnt, but here with Rob it is!
I am sure that head will go again and the beast will roar, by far the most exciting Laverda triple rider/racer of the last two decades, very wrongly robbed (no pun) of a chanpionship win in his first year by Beurocracy, I was there for the final race and was elated, only later to find out he had been cheated of the champioship and got demoted to second, a very wrong thing was that. (sorry to remind you of it Rob)
CLEM

 

[Tippie]

but here is a man who only knows one way, ITS THE RIGHT WAY, he researches, learns, takes his time, and that applies not to just his bikes, but most everything

Including the refurb of that van, talk about gobsmacked, it was like a thrilling serial following the instalments. Don't mention the race series win, my blood pressure goes up just thinking about it.

 

[steph]

Impressive job

 

[TeddyG]

Yes, impressive work- especially the laser welding to repair stress cracks. Were the pistons custom made? Good luck on the rebuild!