I have seen stripped valve stems on AMC heads a few times now.  The keepers
are not holding the valves but they touch each other and they are thus loose
on the valves, moving up and down with every activation.  There is a need to
take the whole thing apart and grind off some from the sides of the keepers.
Zoltan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nate Saylor" <nates@IMPULSE.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2005 10:17 PM
Subject: Great experience and deal on AMC heads!!!!

>I know it's been mentioned before, but I just wanted to let everyone
> know what a wonderful experience I had with Gordon Johnson and Sons
> Machine  (801)298-2142 in Utah (over the phone).  I called them from an
> old tip on the list and was very pleasantly surprised.  Bentley at the
> shop made numerous long distance calls to me and on my behalf to Marnal
> in preperation to buy heads from them.  They gave me a price of $296 per
> head (fully assembled), and are having it dropshipped to me directly
> from Marnal (I'll receive them tomorrow).  I know the reputation AMC
> heads have with valves and such, but when Bentley called Marnal they
> told him that they no longer build the heads here and get them fully
> assembled from Spain now (also the reason they no longer offer bare
> castings), and I just can't afford an extra 200-300 dollars for fully
> re-prepped new heads (call me a gambler).  Anyhow this is offered less
> as a price comparison as it is a wonderful example of going the extra
> mile in customer service on the part of the shop.  I'll let you all know
> how it turns out.
>
> -Nate
>