Factory valve guide puller tool

elefantrider

elefantrider

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It looks like there are two types of available over-the-counter extractors/installers.
The bottom is the factory-type tool. Anyone have any experience with either?

Do they work good/ threads last?

Would prefer not to use a drift, which the top version looks to use as a method for removing?

Factory valve guide puller tool


Factory valve guide puller tool
 
Here's mine. Bought in the '70s.

Factory valve guide puller tool


I don't recommend using these tools. I hurt the head by punching out the valve guides years ago. Head was sent to Leo Goff to fix and he went to oversize guides. He did a great job of it too.
 
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Interesting replies. The factory tool/recommendation per the manual (2nd photo) pulls them out. I don't see how pulling out with heat can increase the guide bore. Knocking out with a punch yes, but pulling out with heat?

Machining the cast guide until thin enough needs to be dead on straight to avoid damage to the bore.
How thin is thin enough to be pushed out by hand?
 
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MCA is still in business and shows the P175 as low stock.
The problem is that the guides will have a very tenacious baked-on carbon coating that must be removed perfectly not to damage the opening in the head. This is not addressed in the shop manuals.
 
I see the problem with carbon. But I would blast clean before I pull them out that way.

I just think that milling down the the guide ID is risky. What if you get the guide thin enough and it turns in the bore when being cut?

Alternatively, you can mill off the lip and push them through from the rocker box side. That is a bit complex but would avoid dragging any debris through the bore.
 
elefantrider said:
I don't see how pulling out with heat can increase the guide bore.
Click to expand...
Its the carbon on the guide plus even if you clean it off you cannot guarantee the bores will not be scored plus with the 850 RH4 head you risk cracks running out from the guide bore. Either machine the guides so they are thin enough to collapse inwards and drop out or K-line the current guides.
 
elefantrider,
I have used the lower one you pictured. Preheat the head in a BBQ grill or oven and chill the guides in the freezer or use dry ice. Use a sheet of Aluminum cooking foil to keep the head clean from the grill. I use a Camp chef outdoor stove but some even use the kitchen oven when the wife is out.;) If memory serves as its been a while the head should be around 350F to 400F. Its in the shop manual by the way.
Make sure the threads are well lubed on the tool as well as the guides when you pull them out of the cold.
Try to install them as quick as you can to the hot head so the guide doesn't have a chance to expand. Welding gloves , Oven gloves and a Temperature gun help.
If you do all 4 valves, the tool will heat up as it acts like a heat sink so cool it down between the next valve guide install. Put the head back on the Barbie grill if necessary to maintain your target heat range. So pre plan and do it quickly for each guide install.
That's my Nickle in the mix. Good luck.
Cheers,
Tom
 
I wouldn't try forcing them out for fear of damaging the bore holes in the head if they were not installed properly to begin with. I would have them machined out, then starting from scratch, the bores cleaned and measured then fit new ones. In other words, I would take it to the machinist who knows valve work and who knows Nortons.
 
elefantrider said:
Interesting replies. The factory tool/recommendation per the manual (2nd photo) pulls them out. I don't see how pulling out with heat can increase the guide bore. Knocking out with a punch yes, but pulling out with heat?

Machining the cast guide until thin enough needs to be dead on straight to avoid damage to the bore.
How thin is thin enough to be pushed out by hand?
Click to expand...
Bead blast the portion of the guide that protrudes into the port. Heat the head to 350F and they can be drifted out without increasing the bore diameter. I fail to see the difference between drifting them out and pulling if this method is used.. IME It is carbon on the guide that erodes the I D of the bore, not the method used to push/pull the guide.
 
For cast guides, the best way I've found is this.

1. Mark a piloted core drill bit with tape to a depth just past the head casting.
2. Drill guide from top of the head down, thining the guide but leaving a thick step at the bottom just past the casting.
3. Carefully break off the top shoulder of the guide with a sideways motion.
4. Heat head in oven to recommended temperature.
5. Drift guide out from top down. Two light strikes with a hammer is all it takes when the guides are thinned.

No carbon or abrasive grit or a roughed up blasted guide is pulled back through the head this way.

Only do this when you're ready to install new guides. If you clean the head with any abrasive while the guide bores are bare/exposed, you'll ruin the head.
 
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CanukNortonNut said:
IMHO If it was a RH4 850 head that is still sound and not cracked, I would not disturb the guides and install the K-line inserts as stated above on Post #7
Tom
Click to expand...
I think K-Liners are a fantastic, dare I say ‘more elegant‘ solution. You only replace the needed area and no more, avoiding unnecessary disturbance elsewhere. I can’t work out why they’re not more popular ?
 
I never really thought about it on a Norton since knocking them out and in a Triumph head is easy. I did many Triumphs before I needed to do a Norton, so heat and a proper drift - done. Of course, like Dan1950 said, they must be clean first. I use plenty of heat putting them in.
 
Fast Eddie said:
I think K-Liners are a fantastic, dare I say ‘more elegant‘ solution. You only replace the needed area and no more, avoiding unnecessary disturbance elsewhere. I can’t work out why they’re not more popular ?
Click to expand...

What do they require boring the cast guide to?

My core drill bit bores them to .430. At that point, they are easy to knock out when hot, and the top flange breaks off easily.

I wouldn't trust the cast guides if thinned out too much.
 
Looks like .342 is the recommended bore to install the 5/16 K-liners. Still, with the high price of their installation kit, you can buy 5-6 sets of hard bronze guides.
 
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