Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

biological organisms prefer symmetry.
It may come as a shock to you, that you are one

It is usually best to keep the exhaust ports as short as possible on aircooled heads. Why? the exhaust port getting hot can warp the head. The header getting hot does not warp the head. In the case of the honda xl500, or especially the later radial valve arrangement, combining the ports IN the head ...

The only times you have an o-ring which never fails.... is when none was needed in the first place. Which is certainly the case with the engine he's starting with. if he re-designs it into something that has head gasket problems then yeah sure maybe. "VW head gasket" is right up there with blinker f...

It's a great process I agree. If the depth of a bore is not in excess of 5x the diameter, then single point boring should work, and that 5x is not a hard limit, just a rule of thumb. Basically the engines are not long enough to need to be traditionally line bored. A type-4, type-1 or Vanagon engine ...

Not sure what your talking about with gas filled o-rings, but since I don't like o-rings in any form, I can advise against it with total confidence. :lol: Can only imagine what the design is, and what the point is. I suppose the wide bore spacing of the type-4 engine would be useful feature since yo...

Looks ok from here

I'm sorry for hogging this thread with my own freak out. Please ignore, but it fixed itself. In order to build a puller consisting of a piece of metal and all thread, you need to be able to drill holes in the piece of metal, and understand the use of bolts or all-thread. One fellow suggested I shoul...

It's not like there is only one. There IS a problem. Every single day. Google "Brake drum puller" and look at the pictures. Everything is either wrong overcomplicated. What do you need? Flat plate of metal with holes drilled in it, and that's it! It's a puller. If the thing you are pulling already h...

That's how aluminum wire works too, most of the time the KEY is to affix it with enough spring that it stays tight.

You don't see anybody using aluminum screws. Why? Aluminum screws WOULD solve the expansion difference problems....but would introduce even more creep problems.

The aluminum rod uses steel bolts. Top fuel engines? 1 mile or 1 minute service life is good enough for you? Just use some ready-rod from the local hardware store. :P Just kidding, if that was the idea You would not be asking. But it sure is a funny question. A lot of engines use aluminum rods, and ...

In the paradigm that I want to maintain.... the automotive machine shop does what mechanic shop can't do. The mechanic should know how to disassemble and assemble the assembly. The machine shop has... or MAKEs the machines and tools as needed to repair the part. We work FOR mechanics and engine buil...

Line boring kinda implies ... A line boring bar or a line boring machine. And i was wondering what line boring machine can repeat to a tenth?! and the answer is....... It was a misunderstanding. No big deal. Look up Rottler - RMC and I'm sure there are others. Tom what machine do you recommend for ...

Line boring kinda implies ... A line boring bar or a line boring machine.
And i was wondering what line boring machine can repeat to a tenth?!
and the answer is.......
It was a misunderstanding.
No big deal.

But it also depends on the condition of the bores.
in many cases the hole is just too big, yet within .001" of round, and that will hone nicely.
But I have also seen them .004 out of round or worse, which I would prefer to bore.

That is not line-boring, it's just regular boring. There are many different kinds of honing and boring tools. If honing aluminum does not work, you are using the wrong tool for the job, or the wrong operator. But of course, we cannot own every conceivable tool that ever could exist. Smoke em if you ...