Valve shims

michipons said:
Regarding micrometer, I found one from V?gel with a pin of 6?8mm, fits perfectly, it is the ?cheap? micrometer version from V?gel, the super precise and expensive has 8?5mm, but not necessary for meassuring shims.

Well, finally after talking with Red and Keith, and after reading your posts, I couldn?t risk the moment when you would tell me: ?I told you?!🤣🤣 So I have finally decided to send my cylinder head to Keith together with the crank. He will do a total rebuild, no experiments, safe is safe. However someday I would like to do it locally, maybe when there is not so much to loose...

Miguel
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More than you can possibly imagine...

At least you'll get ?0.20/kg at the scrapyard when it's been totalled. :D

piet
 
sfcpiet said:
More than you can possibly imagine...

At least you'll get ?0.20/kg at the scrapyard when it's been totalled. :D

piet
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I have already decided to send everything and working already in the parcel el box...

But, asking from my ignorance, what makes a Laverda cylinder head so difficult for a professional rectifier to do a rebuilt with new inserts, guides and so on succesfully? I mean, those guys in my area, they do all sort of engines, most of them from expensive yachts that are probably more complex than a Laverda one...

Miguel
 
Dellortoman said:
You need a micrometer with a measuring pin diameter of less than 7mm so it'll fit inside the shim cup. I actually have one but it's ancient (inherited it from my father). Seems most micrometers have larger pin nowadays. The pin diameter is not something that manufacturers normally specify, so if buying on-line, you'd need to ask. If buying in person from a shop, it's easy enough to check it yourself if you take a micrometer with you ?  :)
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I needed a mic for the montjuic shims, they are smaller than the triple ones.. could not find one with the right post, so I had my engineer fabricate a slip on one that went on the original post, but trimmed down at the end to fit the smaller shims.. easy peasy.. ;)

8)
 
michipons said:
I have already decided to send everything and working already in the parcel el box...

But, asking from my ignorance, what makes a Laverda cylinder head so difficult for a professional rectifier to do a rebuilt with new inserts, guides and so on succesfully? I mean, those guys in my area, they do all sort of engines, most of them from expensive yachts that are probably more complex than a Laverda one...

Miguel
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Even expensive yachts usually have simple OHV diesel or petrol engines.  Doesn't matter much if the valve seat is mis-placed by 2-3mm in the head.  What's +/- 15hp as long as the prop stil turns?  Above a certain rpm it only produces froth.

With a Laverda DOHC head, you're working to a window of +/-0.5mm, at the most.  Same as most other motorcycle DOHC engines too.  Most engine builder used to auto or marine engines do not realise there are loads of other variables along the way, either.

Only marine application of really fancy engines I can think of would be the Lambo or Ferrari etc. powered off-shore racers.  You won't find many engine shops willing to go near them.

piet
 
The thing is Miguel, you can't just buy another good head either, they are hard to get hold of. Having said that I need a Norton Commando 850 head and I'm not having much luck finding one of them either.
 
michipons said:
I have already decided to send everything and working already in the parcel el box...

But, asking from my ignorance, what makes a Laverda cylinder head so difficult for a professional rectifier to do a rebuilt with new inserts, guides and so on succesfully? I mean, those guys in my area, they do all sort of engines, most of them from expensive yachts that are probably more complex than a Laverda one...

Miguel
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Expensive yachts have cheap engines.

Paul
 
Many triple heads have been ruined by well intentioned engineers.
Valve seats falling out, guides not parallel and valve shim range compromised.
 
Who does yours, Grant?
I wasted ??? on a head in just that way....eventually got a new RGS one..better metal..for my 79 Jota. It stood in the show engine in Slaters window for 30 years  and Clem and Richard himself took it off..actually i got the barrels and pistons too, marginally lower comp but nice to have the full monty. The crank was 120 so of no use. In the Wagner catelogue there are apparently piles of the things..are they new or refurbed?  Oh and as mentioned before, Keith put it together with recut 3 angle vale seats, new cam blocks and drilled cam wheels to facilitate timing correctly. The valve clearances have never changed. Bliss.
 
obvious Nick really,  aint it
hard won trade secrets.
I think I know where you wont be going for that, Nickdav7 but then again, anybody is capable of doing one bad job, after tens of thousands of trouble free ones, and then the whole world knows, what that outfit does next is (to me) very important .
CLEM
 
Cant get to the pm Grant..dont get that at all Clem? Why hide a good source of vital good quality work from Laverda enthusiasts? If i knew someone, I would mention them unless they requested otherwise,..so, Keith, except that good guys are busy and you might be waiting quite a while!
 
nick7 said:
Cant get to the pm Grant..dont get that at all Clem? Why hide a good source of vital good quality work from Laverda enthusiasts? If i knew someone, I would mention them unless they requested otherwise,..so, Keith, except that good guys are busy and you might be waiting quite a while!
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Grant makes a living from it, for you it's a hobby.
I would have thought that was obvious.

Paul
 
No idea why you can't open the PM.
Clem and Paul reiterate what I said anyway.
I don't see why you don't get it.
 
I find this very odd..surely the purpose of a Forum like this is because we have a community of interest, and folk help each other? Still, as they say, there is nowt so queer as folk...
 
nick7 said:
I find this very odd..surely the purpose of a Forum like this is because we have a community of interest, and folk help each other? Still, as they say, there is nowt so queer as folk...
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I need a legal counselling Nick in a difficult case that will last years.
Free of charge of course since we're all here to help each other, aren't we?

The professionals who are still on this forum, others have been pissed off, are very helpful giving advice and tips, but as the French say, let us not take the food from their mouths.

Paul
 
Nick, if it helps, Keith is very responsive, it is doing my head and crank with a turnaround time of 6/8 weeks. Last time he complied it perfectly and a good price!

So if you need a Laverda expert, I am sure he will help you.

And I don?t know him at all, so he is not making any special favour to me!

Regards
 
Thank you Paul.

Nick, I have sent you an email as you seem to have a problem opening the PM I sent you.
 
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