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MikeJinCO · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 1:00 am Post subject: Head Locating Collars?

Would anyone have some of those little head locating collars sitting around that they could measure up for me? They are NLA so I might try to make some. DC Auto has them for about $4 each, but have a $75 minimum.

I was going to use some bolts with the heads cut off and a screwdriver slot cut in to locate the head gasket, but with the motor in car the the head won't slide over the bolts and not run into battery trey. I might try some very short bolts, unscrew them then fish them out with a magnet, but some collars would be a lot easier.
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Mike

'67 MG Midget Dp
'71 Ocelot Dsr Kawasaki 1000(under rebuild)

emoore924 · Joined: 13 Apr 2004 Posts: 2822

You're talking about those little, circular, spring steel tube-thingies you put into the head so it aligns properly with the block while you're installing the head?

MikeJinCO · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 6:06 am Post subject:

Yep, those thingies. I had to pull the head as the motor was seized due to a head gasket leak and those pieces were missing as the head slid around on top of the block with the head bolts out. There is a definite possibility the head gasket was mislocated by some PO.
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Mike

'67 MG Midget Dp
'71 Ocelot Dsr Kawasaki 1000(under rebuild)

emoore924 · Joined: 13 Apr 2004 Posts: 2822

Nope, don't have any.

(Har, he walked right into that one

)

I'll check. One moment please....

emoore924 · Joined: 13 Apr 2004 Posts: 2822

Ok, it is a small piece of spring steel bent into a circular "C" shape. The ends are open.

The diameter is approximately 14mm
The gap in the "C" is approximately 3mm
The height of the piece (width of the flat spring stock before it was bent) is 10mm
The edges of the piece are chamfered (assuming this is done to make it easier to insert into the head for use)

Hope this helps.

My advice would be to post a WTB and see if someone has a couple they'd be willing to part with.

MikeJinCO · Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 8:12 am Post subject:

I think I've got a solution. Make them. I got some 1/4" steel pipe(US size which is about .542" or 13.7mm OD), drilled it out to 31/64" going up by 1/16" increments from 3/8" and after getting about 1/2" deep cut it off with a hacksaw. I then had to split it into a spring collar which I did with cutoff wheel on a mini grinder.

I have done a trial fit with the old head gasket and bolted the head on with a couple of bolts including one thru the collar and it worked quite well.

If someone had a small lathe with a three jaw chuck making these would be a snap.
_________________
Mike

'67 MG Midget Dp
'71 Ocelot Dsr Kawasaki 1000(under rebuild)

tyfighter123 · Joined: 19 Jan 2010 Posts: 551 Location: Colorado

Hey Mike if you want to make me some too I wont mind!
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Porsche 924 1977 N/A
Mustang GT/CS 2007
Porsche 924S 1987 (parts car)(cut up and recycled)
Porsche 911S 1976
Porsche 931 1980
Porsche 931 1980 (parts car)

MikeJinCO · Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 11:43 am Post subject:

Got to go to Canon City/Pueblo tomorrow, but should be able to make a pair on Wednesday. They aren't real pretty after I cut thru them with a grinder. BTW I'm looking for a connecting rod, not necessarily usable, I'll give it to the local engine builder to be on the lookout for a rod bolt that might fit or close enough to modify the rod to fit.
_________________
Mike

'67 MG Midget Dp
'71 Ocelot Dsr Kawasaki 1000(under rebuild)

emoore924 · Joined: 13 Apr 2004 Posts: 2822

Fair warning that you might end up with a "dissimilar metals" electrolysis war going on between the alloy head and iron block if you put a bare steel collar in there.

That being said, I'm not sure what the original is made of but it looks like simple spring steel with some kind of bluing coating on it.

MikeJinCO · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 12:15 pm Post subject:

This one I'm not going to worry about. The bluish color is probably a type of phosphate coating, it keeps parts from corroding. When I worked for Ramco Piston Ring(1972-1982)we coated all our cast iron rings. The rings going to Ford and GM got used within weeks, but some of the aftermarket stuff could sit around for years. A good very cost effective (ie cheap)process. Take a stick of about 200 rings, run it thru a phosphate bath for 3 minutes and they are done.

I checked the galvanic series charts and mild steel(pipe is normally C1008 steel) and several types of aluminum are very close to each other which means the corrosion potential is quite low. Now if I had used brass or Type 304 stainless there might be more of a problem. When I was in engine school during an analysis of failures course we were sent out to a bank to determine what the problem was with an aluminum sculpture in a fountain. Answer, They had stainless bolts imbeded in the concrete with stainless nuts and washers in contact with the aluminum. Both are quite corrosion resistant, but stainless steels are very active and aluminum is very passive, a perfect corrosion cell.

Sorry for the diatribe, but it was deserved.

MikeJ BS Mech Engr, U of Missouri 1970, PE 1976.
_________________
Mike

'67 MG Midget Dp
'71 Ocelot Dsr Kawasaki 1000(under rebuild)

emoore924 · Joined: 13 Apr 2004 Posts: 2822

Okee dokee. Whatever works for ya dere bruddah.