951, head pulled off finally to find a chipped piston - Dorkiphus.net
Navigation » Dorkiphus.net > Technical & Track Disussions > Porsche Technical Discussions » 951, head pulled off finally to find a chipped piston

Porsche Technical Discussions Porsche related technical discussions and questions go here.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 08-04-2010, 11:38 AM
cptnyehy0's Avatar
cptnyehy0 cptnyehy0 is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Fairfax VA
Posts: 65
cptnyehy0
Default 951, head pulled off finally to find a chipped piston

I finally got around to pulling the 951 head off and getting ready to put the spare head on. When I pulled the old head off I saw that the first cylinder piston has a small fingernail sized chip / dent in it from where the valve came in to contact with it. Does this need to be replaced or can I get away with using it? Im expecting the worst. I can shoot some pics when I get home this evening.

Greg
__________________
Greg
"Procrastination is like masturbation, your only screwing yourself"

-CURRENT-
00 Jeep Cherokee Forest Green/Grey, Lifted 4.5", 31x10.5x16s
86 951 Guards Red/Black - Running, but leaking boost

-PAST-
91 Jeep Cherokee Flat Black/Grey, Lifted, ticking, and leaking - Traded
78 Yamaha XS750 Special - SOLD
78 924 blue/black - gone
83 944 Guards Red/Brown - gone
84 944 Guards Red/Black - SOLD
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-04-2010, 12:48 PM
cmartin's Avatar
cmartin cmartin is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Pasadena, MD
Posts: 7,654
cmartin
Default

Is the damage from a prior incident or the reason why you are in there? If just a kiss, let it ride. What's the valve look like?
__________________
78 SC, the 'Red Car'
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-04-2010, 01:37 PM
smdubovsky's Avatar
smdubovsky smdubovsky is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Posts: 5,284
smdubovsky has three HoF threadssmdubovsky has three HoF threadssmdubovsky has three HoF threads
Default

Check the valve. If bent, even ever so slightly, it won't seal on the seat. Can use bright light, liquid, air pressure, etc to check (often in combination.) Can even try to relap the valve to the seat and look at the pattern.
__________________
Stephen
www.salazar-racing.com
1970 914/6 - 3.0L GT
1983 911SC - 3.32L IROC
1984 930 - 3.6L

dirt bikes (some gas, some electric), Sherco trials bike
Sold: 2001 Boxster (hers), 2003 996tt x50 , SpecE30, 1996 E36M3 GTS2 racecar, 2015 Mustang GT, 2008 S2R1000
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-05-2010, 07:47 AM
cptnyehy0's Avatar
cptnyehy0 cptnyehy0 is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Fairfax VA
Posts: 65
cptnyehy0
Default

Yes, the reason i am taking the head off is because I bent a valve. I have a replacement head with good valvles in it, so I just wanted to be sure nothing catastrophic would happen due to the chip in the piston. ill shoot a pic tonight, didnt get home til 10 last evening and went right to bed.
__________________
Greg
"Procrastination is like masturbation, your only screwing yourself"

-CURRENT-
00 Jeep Cherokee Forest Green/Grey, Lifted 4.5", 31x10.5x16s
86 951 Guards Red/Black - Running, but leaking boost

-PAST-
91 Jeep Cherokee Flat Black/Grey, Lifted, ticking, and leaking - Traded
78 Yamaha XS750 Special - SOLD
78 924 blue/black - gone
83 944 Guards Red/Brown - gone
84 944 Guards Red/Black - SOLD
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-05-2010, 08:23 AM
jerome951 jerome951 is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: The slummy side of Potomac
Posts: 1,658
jerome951
Default

Is it a dent from the valve edge (i.e. smooth indentation) or an actual chip (meaning piston material has come off)? If just a dent, it should be OK to re-use, but I wouldn't use a chipped piston.
__________________
Jerome Welte
'97 Spec Boxster
'20 Nissan Titan XD
'02 BMW 330i convertible
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-06-2010, 11:46 AM
cptnyehy0's Avatar
cptnyehy0 cptnyehy0 is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Fairfax VA
Posts: 65
cptnyehy0
Default

yes it is a dent from the valve edge, it seems to only be on cylinder 1 and not 4. it looks like it has just been marred, not like a piece cracked out of it or anything like that.
__________________
Greg
"Procrastination is like masturbation, your only screwing yourself"

-CURRENT-
00 Jeep Cherokee Forest Green/Grey, Lifted 4.5", 31x10.5x16s
86 951 Guards Red/Black - Running, but leaking boost

-PAST-
91 Jeep Cherokee Flat Black/Grey, Lifted, ticking, and leaking - Traded
78 Yamaha XS750 Special - SOLD
78 924 blue/black - gone
83 944 Guards Red/Brown - gone
84 944 Guards Red/Black - SOLD
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-06-2010, 04:51 PM
Vicegrip's Avatar
Vicegrip Vicegrip is offline
Porkchop & SGB for prez!
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: The other Woodstock.
Posts: 13,278
Vicegrip has seven HoF threadsVicegrip has seven HoF threadsVicegrip has seven HoF threadsVicegrip has seven HoF threadsVicegrip has seven HoF threadsVicegrip has seven HoF threads
Default

Depending on the hit I would check for a bent rod.
__________________
http://vimeo.com/29896988

“Those that can make you believe in absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” Voltaire.

"There is grandeur in this view of life...." Darwin.

The mountains are calling and I must go.

“The earth has music for those who listen”
Shakespeare.

You Matter.
(Until you multiply yourself times the speed of light squared. Then you Energy)

“We’ve got lots of theories, we just don’t have the evidence’.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-07-2010, 10:47 PM
Marc A's Avatar
Marc A Marc A is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Herndon
Posts: 1,529
Marc A
Default

FWIW, I had two valve hitting piston occasions when my 951 was turbo powered, one of which left a large smiley on the piston. On both pistons I used emery paper to smooth the edge of the indent while the shop vac was sucking next to the "smiley" There were no ill effects caused by the dent or repair.

While I agree with Kurt 99.99% of the time, the valves head will bend into submission before a rod is damaged as will the piston head.

I do agree with Jerome about the chip vs indent.

Marc
__________________
'05 Mustang GT
'08 E350
'06 LR3
'86 951 LS1 (C-2) Gone
'77 911 3.2 (C-1) Gone
3.2 Conversion and 915 Rebuild Home Page
The 958 Conversion
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 08-08-2010, 10:56 AM
SRG SRG is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Charlottesville, Va.
Posts: 162
SRG
Default

Having a small dent or dents on the top of the piston won't hurt a thing. Bent other stuff might. The texture of the piston top could effect intake/exhaust if it was heavy texture. Lots of pistons have recesses in them and I think some have experimented w/ more general textures on the piston top.

I once ran a 400 KTM single cyl. (4 stroke) motorcycle whose piston's top was covered in a bunch of small dents from a broken piston ring bouncing around. We fixed/replaced/rebuilt what was required but reused the otherwise undamaged piston - new ones were $$.The bike ran great - we used to joke that it was faster w/ our "trick" piston!

SRG
Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump