Topic: Head rebuild parts list.

[Skunk Stripe]

I am looking to do some work on my engine. 78 750K motor. My gaskets are getting tired and are starting to collect dirt around them on the valve cover and elsewhere. It is more years than anything. I have a little over 18,000 on the odo. I am wondering what else may be worth replacing while things are apart. I figure on a full gasket and seal kit that should include the o-rings. I was thinking about some minor head work, so maybe new valves, guides, springs and keepers. I can find valves and guides easy enough but springs and keepers seem to be an issue unless I want to pay through the nose. Any good sources that are not uber pricy?
Cam chain and tension unit, maybe primary chain tensioner.
I did win a set of once over pistons which include rings and pins and clips, from cycleX and though about getting things bored and tossing those in.
Of course I am trying to do this on a budget, I really don't want to spend a 1000 on a simple refresh as I an not hot rodding anything.

Thoughts or ideas?

[HondaMan]

On that engine, at 18k miles and 30+ years:

Cam chain tensioner and roller, definitely. They will be like rocks now.
New seals would prevent unwanted oil leaks in the near future, as the sitting has made them stiff: they will likely begin leaking soon after you start it back up. The "kits" of these are about $30 (see Z1 Enterprises as one example). I recommend using Vesrah gaskets, too, if you can: they seem to work the best out of the non-Honda crop available right now. Z1 gaskets seem to work well on the ones I've used lately, too.

The valve guides might be worn, especially the exhausts. This is the fastest wearing item in the K7/8 motor. Check their clearances: they are often oval and will let the valve rock forward/back more than 0.006" when lifted .250" off the seat: this is too much and will let them leak oil when running. The valves themselves are usually fine: take them to a machine shop for refacing, about $3 apiece around here. Lap them into the seats afterward for a good seal.

Look closely at the rocker shafts. They were locked down with little 5mm bolts in those engines. This makes them wear on just one side. If you don't wish to spring for new ones, roate them 180 degrees and lock them down the other side up. Or, just take the little bolts out, let them spin, for a little extra HP from the lesser friction.

The valve springs, keepers, and cups (if your late K has the cups) will be fine for re-use.

Don't forget to remove the valve shrouding around the valve seats, and look closely at the intake ports to see if there were any abrupt path diversions from the odd casting. Blend those, or do a port job, to pick up quite some free power.

It's pretty rare for much else to be worn out at that mileage in the late K engine.

[Skunk Stripe]

So the gaskets and seals are on the list and valve guides. The rest sounds good to me. If these parts are still good, would they hold up to a mild increase in cam such as a webcam 41 or 41a? The savings on springs and valves would allow me to do this and maybe a port.