What is good compression for 225 /6? Next question what is the cost of a rebuilt head? I am in the far north with 55 lbs in #6 and there are no facilities to get the work done here. Havn't checked to see if it is exhaust value, intake valve, or cylinder malfunction. If all else fails I will drive it out as is, or as far as it will go, but it is a /6 and should make the trip from NWT to BC. (3000 km).
Thanks Cam

No problem, I will ask question on another forum. thanks Cam

The forum was down yesterday and part of today so your message didn't get much chance ....

130psi + is typical for a new build. 55 is way low, squirt some oil through the plug hole and take another reading. If it goes up, then its likely a ring issue.

Do a valve adjustment as well, that could lead to better numbers if the adjustment is way off. Check oil/water level to make sure you didn't blow a head gasket.

Rebuilt heads vary widely depending on what was done to them. A stock parts store head can be a couple hundred, while I heard someone on this board bought a built head from Clifford for $1200.

Thanks, The other 5 are running 125-130 with a lot of miles. It did over heat on the way out end of June last year, didn't pick up on the fact the radiator was not doing it's job (cold enough in June that it wasn't a problem till got to warmer weather further south in the Richardson's Mountains). It is so far from a garage, towing and high cost one just goes as far as one can. ( have seen vehicles wait over a day for a tow truck). /6's are great and never left me stranded. I did put a small amount of oil in the cylinder and it went up about 5 lbs. Plan on pulling the valve cover, check rockers, springs then compressed air down the spark plug hole and seeing where it comes out. $1200 US is more that I paid for the vehicle, that much money is even too much for one of my /6 65 convertibles (one with the Prolines dual webbers and Dutra's Duels) Any other ideas, Thanks Cam

As Pierre noted, $1200.00 is the "high end" for a "Racing" SL6 head, you don't need anything like that. I would say that you could expect to pay $300 to $600.00 for a reconditioned SL6 head depending on what has been done to it. Fact is that they sell on ebay every now & then.
ebay SL6 Head link

I could have a local shop build one and ship it to you in the "frozen North" is needed. (Shipping 85 lbs of SL6 head is going to cost some $$$)

Do check the valve lash, especially on the #6 exhaust valve. These days with unleaded gas, the valves can receed on the seat and that takes-up the lash and hangs the valve open. The valve will burn pretty quickly after that.
DD

Northwest Territories? Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

_________________

If it ain't broke, fix it!

Doctor Dodge's quote:
85lb slant 6 head!? Gee, the common block 2.2/2.5 bare iron block weighs almost that much (90lb). Whew!

Cheers,

Wizard

i have checked my compression and it reads 130psi? what happens with the valves to cause this drop in compression? are they left open too long?

130psi is a decent readign I wouldn't be worried about it assuming its relatively consistent across all cylinders.

But to answer your question directly - yes, if you hang a valve open (lash too tight?) the compression will escape past it - otherwise if your seats are worn and the valves don't sit right they will also leak.

how hard is it to reseat the valves, whats the procedure?

As far as I can determine, no one really knows what you mean by "reseating." The only routine maintenance you do with the valves is to adjust the lash. If the seats are damaged then there is nothing you can do other than pull the head and have the valves and seats reground or replaced.

_________________
David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

maybe you mean lapping a valve

If you want you can take off your head.

take it all appart (keeping all valves and springs numbered, so they go back in the same place they came from)

Clean it good

then get some lapping compound (fine grit) and a lapper (stick with a rubber suction cup at the end)

put one valves back in its seat with some lapign compund, then stick the rubber sucktion stick to it and then rotate it about 1 million times with the stick.

this process can fix small valve problems....

sort of by cleaning up the "fit" of the valve to seat.

or you can just take it all to the machine shop and ask them to re-grind you valves and seats (pretty cheep too). then put it back together.

But if you have no machine shop nearby ...too bad.

I recently saw a guy selling a rebuit head for $150 on the SF bay area www.craigslist.org

under the auto parts secton

good luck

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'67 Dart 225 Super Six