Well you know as soon as you mention the work aston martin its gna be expensive. Just pricing up a complete clutch kit, best price ive had is £950!! and a thrust bearing is £70!!


Right the head is complete and together again:

Head build up

1- Soak the valves in engine degreaser over night (a load of areosol can caps are ideal helping to keep the valves seperate.


2- Nice smooth skimmed head



3- After the degreasing and closed inspection the exhaust valve seats show signs of light pitting


4- The inlet seats are ok, just need a "buff"


5- Get your self one of these


Valve and seat lapping
(It is important to do one valve set at a time to avoid mixing up parts)

6- This exhaust valve is covered in "coke" (wrap the top of the valve in some rag and gently put in vice, just enough to grip it but so its still free, you dont want to danage it)



7- Slowly work your way over the valve head with the wire brush tool, remember be gentle and avoid brushing the valve seat contact area!!

After a minuite it will look like this



8 - If you dont have one get your self a "lapping kit" normally about £5.

First check the valve for damage, hopefully there is none!

Fit the suction cup to the valve and apply the course lapping paste (repeat later with the fine paste)






9- Slide the valve in place and whilse applying pressure run the stlick in your hands (i.e ray mears stlye like your making a fire)

Dont worry it will sound horrible, but this is the paste doing its work!


10 - Being the ever inventive and going buy the saying theres always a quicker way, i made up a chuck and attached the lapping tool to my cordless drill.
really speeds up the process, as you'll be doing it 24 times!!! just dont go to fast, nice and steady is all you need.


11 -When the course paste stops making a noise, wipe both seats down and do the same again with the fine paste.
The valve and seat should look like this

It doesnt look much, but it really makes a difference!
REMEMBER IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO REMOVE ALL TRACES OF LAPPING PASTE WHEN EACH VALVE IS DONE!!


12- Collect the relative parts for the valve and clean up.


13 - Apply a small amount of copper slip to the valve top, this will help the collets to locate when you release the valve spring compressor


14 - Measure the springs to make sure they are still with in the tollerences


15 - Reinstall the lapped valve And repeat the process for the other 11.


16 - Valves all in at last



17 - Turn the head over (make sure the cardboard beneath is clean so the head is not scratched!!!)

Tap each valve top with a hammer to check the collets are all seated correctly


18 - Slide in the tappets


19 - Locate the dizzy cog (dont forget this as it will be too late after the cam is in)


20 - VERY IMPORTANT - Apply a small amount of oil to the bearing seats, cam lobes and tappets.


21- With the cam shaft sitting in place, loosly fit all the bearings and nuts but DO NOT TIGHTEN!!


22- Before you tighten the cams get your wooden crate, and line the bearers with cardboard


23- Place the head on the pallet, making sure no valves are obstructed when open.

Tighten the cams down evenly and gradually. Either all lined up with the markings you made at the start, or if no marks are present the cams on piston 6 botn want to be pointing inwards to avoid any valves hitting each other!


24 - Note valve position, this is why you need the crate


25- Once your happy torque up the nuts to 10 lb/ft, double checking all the time your position markings!


26 Et volia, one complete head