Intake / Head question
 

I'm in the process of my first engine reapir. At least one head stud is broken, so my initial reaction is to repair and get back out. I plan to take the cylider and piston off as a unit to avoid unsettling the rings. Here is the reason why:

1) The engine does not burn oil (less than 1 qt per 4k mi)
2) engine does not smoke
3) even compression (~ 165 psi)

The engine has 80000 miles (1980 SC). Should I just get the heads done? Would I be foolish to not do rings?

Attached is a picture of the intake with the valve partially open. The exhaust valve combustion chamber surface can be seen and appears to be incredibly clean. The valve seal or boots on the intake appear new.

Do the intakes appear to have been rough ported or is this the usual looking surface? The area I am talinkg about is closer to the dark ring that the valve seats to. It apears to have been shaved. I haven't looked inside an engine before.

Thanks for looking.

Tony
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1109217426.jpg

If you removed the broken bits and there is still no oil leaking, drive on and worry about it when you rebuild.

That looks pretty much like the standard Porsche finish. They do cut the ports some near the seat to match the surfaces. On a true porting job you wouldn't see the sharp delineation between the surface that was cut and the cast surface like I can see in your picture.

I'd leave the rings alone. You might want to have the valve guides evaluated by a shop since you have the heads off. A valve job will cost between 600 and 900 dollars depending on the shop and the work required. Since you have the engine apart it might be a good investment. That being said I just put my engine back together last winter with the old guides and I had about 80k miles on them also.

-Andy