BUT always a BUT

5 angle valve job on a street motor will and does take power from the motor in torque

in a street engine you will almost never get the VE ( volumetric efficiency ) to gather the negitave waves at the air speed necessary to take advantage of that sort of valve angle approach to the engines gulp intake and exhaust push air speed

 

I hope the OP comes back with some more info into the state of his engine, what he wants to achieve, his budget, and what the mechanic is offering.

I was not thinking of fancy 5 seat cuts - 3 is fine - and, in my mind, I was thinking more of longevity and efficiency ... 'concentricity' being the name of the game (hence the value of sizing or lining the guides as well).

I was thinking of some of the deeply pocketed valve seats I have seen caused by valve wandering back and forward cutting themselves in ... no amount of rubbing stick would help them. I know you can do a "not bad" job with a hand cutter, and have used one ... *but* if I was thinking of spending $500 on labour I think I would hold out until I have the extra to send the heads out to a specialist.

Doing your seats to closely toleranced valve/guides is going to freshen things up.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

If the back yard guy is doing the complete job for that, its an insanely good price. Hell, I'd say the machine work, properly done on the heads and jugs would be in that range.. Now, I know for a fact that there are some stellar wrenches working in their own garages and just making a little cash on the side. However, I bought my bagger as a basket case because of some backyard wrench doing his buddy a favor.. The butcher cracked the case, between the studs and lifters, when he tried to drill and install thread inserts because a stud pulled.. He screwed up a simple base gasket leak, then stuck his "buddy" with a disassembled bike that he refused to fix.. Point being, be very careful of a good deal.. Make sure you know who's working on your stuff.. End of day, it may be worth the gamble, if your a gambling man.. But, its on you if youre wrong..

 

Well I'm back and here is the story or my reasoning behind this thread:

The bike is a 1994 Tour Glide Ultra Classic. Has 94K on the odo. PO never had or did any major service on the bike. He rode it back and forth from Milwaukee down to Tail of Dragon early summer this year with no glitch. I believed him because he showed me pics of his trip (as proof I guess). The bike itself has no funny noise or knocks. The only "thing" that I found out is a little oil leak on the base of the (rear) cylinder. My common sense, and also after hearing stories from other EVO owners, telling me that this is not something to be worry for now. Especially looking at the "volume" of the leak. Plus, our EVO don't leak oil. They just marking their territory. But my "prevention" mode or thinking telling me to just replace the gaskets. And this thinking also telling me to might as well do a top end refresh. So that part 1, which I also want to know if this is the right thinking or not.

Part 2 is basically the respond from that garage guy. He will charge me $425.00 for replacing the gaskets with new gaskets and seals (parts & labor; James brand). And it will be another $100.00 if I opted to do top end refresh, which he said: "included pistons and rings and hone." When I asked how many days.., he said it will be a full two days work because he will have to "take it apart, take the cylinders and drop them to be bored and honed."

Extra: As far as the local reputable indy shop, their $550.00 out the door price will include "base gaskets up, with a fresh hone and rings. Also fresh valve seals."

 

He seems to be adding the pistons on at cost.

He is cheap and seems reasonable. I am sure you can trust his work but, personally, if I was going to that much upheaval, I'd spent more and do something more.

What's your maximum budget?

In the meanwhile ... famous last words ... if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

"if it ain't broke, don't fix it ... and don't half-*** it".

You did not say, is it still a standard cam? If it is, you really want to change it at the same time ... it'll be no additional labour as, basically, it all has to come apart anyway and now's the time to do it as the heads and pushrods etc are all apart. Pick one up on Ebay and, if you go ahead, tell him to "stick this one back in".

100,000 is high mileage but it will do a lot more. But at that mileage if I was doing something, I'd want to do a lot well. How/what is he going to do to the valves and seats? Just hand lap them or cut them?

In the meanwhile, I'd just ride it until it broke. Which it probably won't.

What's your compression?

 

just a couple points of interest -- at the 100,000 mile mark - and we see them often

IF and i said IF - this is the first time its being opened the engine would need a lot more than a set of james gaskets - and maybe a set of pistons it was said

but over the next weeks the story about what was found and what was thought to be a 2 day ( re fresh ) well we shall see

HOPE it works out for you

 

Good point John.

How many of us at some point have been attracted by a low estimate, or a low price, and then, gradually, as the layers are unpeeled ...

Then the other consideration, OP, what are your intentions ... why did you buy and what do you want to with this bike longer term?

Is it a keeper ... or do you just want a season or two out of it?

Might just be best to leave it as is, and get another 10,000 out of it, rather than be the one who ends up being saddled with the nigh complete re-build ... unless that is what you want to do, have the time, space, budget etc.

What's the rest of the bike like, e.g. chassis corrosion, brake lines etc? Did you get any service history with it ... you said there was none? Surely he must have done some work on it?

 

Very interesting thread. My 96' evo is leaking at all gaskets (base, head, rocker box) to the point the oil splatters on my pants when I ride. Leaks just enough oil to make a mess but haven't had to add oil between changes (4,000 miles) Bike has 51,000 by the way.

My local indy has quoted me around $475 for gaskets and rings with possible other costs depending what he finds once it's open.

With only 51,000 I am thinking new gaskets are enough for now and save the complete top end until I get 100,000 on her. Is this sound like a sound idea?

 

Everything else stock?

At the very least, chuck a performance camshaft in there at the same time, used or new it'll cost no more than, say, $50 to $130. By "performance" we would mean no more than restoring your Evo to how it should have been running when it left the factory.

Your valve stem seals will be hard but, but they cheap and part of a replacement top end gasket set ... What the going rate for a proper re-cut valves and seats near you - $200 perhaps?

Used cam (cheap)
Line valve guides (cheap),
Set squish (cheap),
Raise compression slightly (cheap or fairly cheap if you need to go for pistons)

Total - $300 perhaps?

Beware it's a slippery slope to spending double quickly, easily! For example, we'll all fret because you are not using a metal breather gear. Nice but not necessary ... ker-ching, another $70.


Can folks put some figures to the various works?


From the internet ... can you see the air gap between the valve and "seat" face? That's likely what you guys have got right now and why lapping your valves won't fix it.

 

I would leave things stock and pay the $475..Having a motor that sprays oil is just sloppy for me. Review the front motor mount since the indy will be removing it to drop the motor a little in order to access the rear cylinder rocker covers.
Be warned that the three piece rockers will have a very slight warpage but if excessive there will be a suggestion to replace $$..If bike was not abused then with a little patience and care they may be re-used.