I'm cross-sectioning a 4AGE head. Interested?

[af300e]

I'd take it to the local alluminium supply place and ask them. They cut 250mm round bar all day so a head shouldn't be too much trouble.
I actually have a machine that would do this, it's an 1940's vintage electric hacksaw

[TERRA Operative]

The blade was throwing sparks and all, the guys were really dissapointed, as they wanted to look inside too.
They reckon the head must be a harder grade of alloy than they use for their bullbars, so the blade couldn't cope or something.


Hacksaw is an option, but it's pretty low on the list..... it would take hours!


There are a few aluminium suppliers nearby, I'll give them a go next week.

[oldcorollas]

it may not take hours, maybe 20-30mins. helps if you have an alloy blade tho (i cut the K heads with hacksaw)
it probably is. being cast it would be higher silicon, but still not a huge difference. did they hit a steel part? seems very strange for a blade to throw spark when cutting plain alloy.

their bullbars must be made from crap alloy

have you removed the valve seats and guides?

[Billzilla]

(i cut the K heads with hacksaw)

Yes, I've seen your porting photos on your home page.

[TERRA Operative]

it may not take hours, maybe 20-30mins. helps if you have an alloy blade tho (i cut the K heads with hacksaw)
it probably is. being cast it would be higher silicon, but still not a huge difference. did they hit a steel part? seems very strange for a blade to throw spark when cutting plain alloy.

their bullbars must be made from crap alloy

have you removed the valve seats and guides?

Nah, but he was cutting through the centre of the chamber, and didn't get that far anyway.

How do you remove the guides and seats? (please don't say with great difficulty... )

[oldcorollas]

Yes, I've seen your porting photos on your home page.

touche!
that was just seeing where the jackets were


guides? make guide tool (ie, bar slightly smaller than guide diameter, with a part that goes thur the guide as well) and use hammer. maybe heat will help (put in oven, 100 or so?)
seats... i dunno, they fell out after i cut thru them with hacksaw

maybe you could dremel a slice, and then they should come out (since tension is lost)

[Billzilla]

Nah, but he was cutting through the centre of the chamber, and didn't get that far anyway.

How do you remove the guides and seats? (please don't say with great difficulty... )

To put if bluntly, just get a farken big cutter with a nice new abrasive cutting disc and give it a good hard push until it's cut through. You might be taking it too easy and the disc is clogging up.
Just lean on it hard and give it hell.

[jeffro ra28]

just use a cutoff saw with a cement disc. It isnt that hard, i have choped rb30, 18rg and a few alloy v8 chev heads this way, its piss easy. I started using inox but found it to expensive so i used a hose on a steady trickle instead, just to keep things cool and helps keep disc unclogged. It is PISS easy! im telling you. Plus, its the cost of a cement disc or two. I got a few section chopped with the same cement disc.

[TERRA Operative]

Yea, the bullbar place had a massive cutoff saw, but the head was seriously 10mm too big to get under the guards. It would have ripped through the head too.

We do have a drop grinder thingo at work, I'll see if it's big enough to do it in a few cuts (from either side etc). I thought it would be too small, but I'll have another look.

The bullbar place was using a bandsaw, not an abrasive blade, like those saws butchers use, but for metal, not meat.



I'll update my progress tomorrow.

[oldcorollas]

The bullbar place was using a bandsaw, not an abrasive blade, like those saws butchers use, but for metal, not meat.

I'll update my progress tomorrow.

I've used a bandsaw type to cut thru cast iron diff housings for falcadores and also brake calipers etc.. must've had a 30cm or more range... (at cast iron foundry)

i think their bandsaw, depite being used for macho bullbars.. was ghey

good luck!

[old_school_jap1]

it's amazing where a bit of constructive whinging gets ya . drop saw FTW

[jeffro ra28]

This is the exact saw i used. Just removed watever gaurds, clamps from bed and away you go. It involves some shuffling and rotating of head but any one could do it.... Just use hose

[TERRA Operative]

That's the type we have at work. Not sure how big it is, but I'll give it a go.

Otherwise I'll pull out my trusty 1200w DeWalt angle grinder...

[TERRA Operative]

Success. Did it with the drop saw, work had one like the pic above that was *just* big enough.

So here you go ladies, the 4AGE 16 valve bigport head, cross sectioned for the lulz etc.



Through the centre of the combustion chamber.


Through the valves.


Exhaust port detail


Intake port detail.


Valve seat detail.


Love me.

[w810sc]

good work!
Just wanted to know if it was hard to cut with a drop saw, as I am going to do the same with a 2T-G head.