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If it's a standard GenX, you are off application. I have a unit specific for milled cylinder head applications.
For the record, any cylinder head milling at all will adversely affect the timing chain geometry. It is not recommended nor is it necessary. The amount of heads I've needed to mill in 14 years is zero.
Will send you out the correct unit, drop it in and send the GenX back.
Thanks for the quick reply Billman. I don't know if you've read any of my build thread, but I kind of had a crappy experience with the machine shop that did the work on my head. I told them not to mill my head and the owner insisted that at least .001 needed to be taken off to clean up the gasket sealing surface. When I went to pick it up he informed me that his guy took "about .006" off. I measured the height of my head when I got it home and it was 104.958 mm which converts to 4.13 in. Right at the service limit, so much for customer service. Yes, my original/current Gen X unit is your standard one for stock application, my head gasket is stock. I really appreciate you standing behind your product and that is why I bought it, lifetime support/service. I would imagine no damage has been done in the ~400 miles I have put on the car since re-assembly? Irregardless, I won't be driving it until I get the correct TCT from you. Please PM me for shipping details or whatever you may need.
I received my updated TCT from Billman on Friday and installed it that night. Yesterday I started it up and drove into the fog hanging around at the base of Mt. Shasta for about an hour. When I pulled back into my driveway I shot another video of what my engine sounds like now. It definitely sounds quieter, but I was expecting more?
Your timing chain geometry is likely beyond acceptable limit (chain is hooking over the top of the moveable guide) due the the head milling. If the engine did not have head gasket issues, then milling the head is a big mistake. The machine shop should have knowledge of what they are working on instead of blindly doing unnecessary work. I will guide you through guide depth measurements via PM.
Do not mill an S2000 cylinder head, period. Due to the original design flaw of the tct and the chain geometry, the service limit is actually closer to 001. If the head is untorqued in proper fashion, it is impossible to warp it.
Not the best filming but it is really just for sound comparison. So as far as the TCT noise this is the best I can get from Billman: "Your GenXX (as opposed to standard GenX) TCT is specifically tuned for extended guide depth applications due to cylinder head milling. This is the maximum reach/range that is safe for operation. It is built specially for your application."
As I listened to my engine at idle the 'noise' seems to be coming more from the valve train area instead of the knocking at the chain end of the head. Also note, as I rev the engine by hand it seems like a metallic chain like sound? I'm going to pm Billman again to ask about these sounds and if the fact that my feeler gauge gets snagged on the ex.stem when adjusting lash (because for some reason the machine shop machined the valve stems flat and 'sharp') has dire repercussions and/or adding to the valve 'noise'. It all boils down to just horrible customer service from the head shop. I am left wondering what kind of damage I'm doing driving my S around. I am not looking forward to confronting and seeking some sort of compensation from the machine shop owner. He basically screwed me over and stuck to his pompous "I'm the expert here" attitude.
Thanks again to Billman for all his help and suggestions! And as I've seen him post recently in several threads, I will concur, DO NOT let anyone mill your S2000 head! (Unless, of course, your head is actually warped.)
One suggestion that Billman has made is to try and find a .006 thicker than stock head gasket. I'm sure Cometic? or HKS must have something of this nature for the F20C, for boost applications? I'm figuring this will be my next move in the near future. Looks like I'll be going through the whole head removal process again at some point, at least it should be easier this next time around
Last edited by saving4one; 03-02-2017 at 07:05 PM.
I did a compression test tonight with some help from my son. My daughter even watched the show, sitting in a camp chair munching left-over movie theater pop corn. My son watched the gauge while I turned over the engine. He reported that the pressure built quickly, and as I verified for myself after each cylinder, 230 across the board.
I've found a .003 over stock thicker head gasket by JE on the inter-webs, which might be the closest without going over (found the 3 mm but that is way too thick, I don't want to lower compression).
Last edited by saving4one; 01-26-2017 at 03:51 PM.
12-01-2016, 12:41 PM
