FAQs on Thread Repairs & Cylinder Head Overhauls in Kingston | SRS Engineering
When might I require engine thread repairs?
Some of the most common services we provide motorists, trade partners and main dealers in the Kingston area are thread repairs. These can be useful in the following circumstances:
- Stripped Threads – If the threads in the engine block or cylinder head become stripped, you might experience issues with the seal between the bolt and the engine. This could lead to oil leaks, coolant leaks, or loss of compression, and ultimately, serious engine damage.
- Thread Damage – Thread repairs are also required when there’s damage caused by wear or corrosion. They’ll ensure your engine can maintain proper torque and seal.
- Over-tightening – When bolts are over-tightened, it can cause the threads to strip or become damaged, especially in the case of aluminium engine blocks, which experience this issue more than their cast iron cousins.
- Thread Galling - Thread galling is friction that occurs between bolts and their threads. It’s an issue that can cause seizure and damage, impacting compression.
What’s the process of cylinder head overhauls?
Cylinder head overhauls are always bespoke to our clients, as with all the services we provide our clients in and around Kingston. But generally, they involve the following steps (or a mix of them):
- Remove the cylinder head
- Disassemble it
- Inspect it
- Clean it
- Resurface, if required
- Reassemble the cylinder head
- Replace gaskets and seals, when required
- Reinstall the cylinder head
- Reconnect all systems
- Test the engine
How do you go about cylinder head pressure testing?
Cylinder head pressure testing checks for cracks or leaks in the cylinder head of an engine. Our workshop, located close-by Kingston in Sutton, typically employs it as a diagnostics procedure when an engine is overheating, losing power, or suffering an oil leak.
It sees our City & Guilds trained technicians remove the cylinder head from the engine and clean it, before they seal off all the openings and pump air into the head using a pressure tester. The pressure is then monitored to see if it drops, which would indicate a leak. If a leak is detected, the cylinder head will need to be repaired or replaced. By introducing soapy water, we can also quickly isolate the area in which the crack/leak is.
Why should I consider an unleaded conversion?
Kingston motorists might want to consider an unleaded conversion if their vehicle's engine was originally designed to run on leaded gasoline, but leaded fuel is no longer available in your area, or far more expensive than the alternatives. Because lead can damage modern emission control devices and is a known health hazard, unleaded gasoline is seen as the standard. An unleaded conversion sees our technicians modify the engine’s cylinder head / valve seats, and can help extend engine life, while ensuring it runs smoothly with minimal emissions.
What’s the process behind cylinder head skimming?
Cylinder head skimming resurfaces the engine’s cylinder head by removing a thin layer of material from its surface with a milling machine. It can restore the flatness of the head and improve its seal with the engine block. Another advantage is it can performance by increasingly the engine’s compression ratio.
When is cylinder reboring a good idea?
We most commonly conduct cylinder reboring when a Kingston client visits us and we find that engine cylinders are worn, damaged, or out-of-round due to prolonged use or overheating. The need for cylinder reboring is typically determined via visual inspection or measurements of their diameter, with the wear cross references against manufacturer's specifications. Other signs that indicate its use include scuffing, scoring, or pitting on the cylinder walls.
What kind of symptoms indicate the need for crankshaft grinding?
You might require crankshaft grinding if you’re experiencing engine vibration, excessive bearing wear or damage, scoring or pitting on the crankshaft journals, or out-of-round or tapered journals.