Gentle Alfisti, Success came with the use of a hundred pounds of air pressure pumped into the cylinders using a compression tester hose with the valve core removed. Borrowed factory tool to compress the valve springs and discovered each intake valve stem seal was crushed and destroyed. One at a time, these were removed and replaced with new. How this happened is still a mystery, but I suspect that the engine builder that I took the NOS head to used his pneumatic spring compressor that was set-up for the hi-po engines he routinely works on. It probably happened that his automated spring compressor overwhelmed my little Alfa springs and caused the damage on assembly. No other explanation seems plausible. In any event, it's done and back together. Thank you to Mr. Patnode and to the others here that offered advice. Will report later on subsequent events.
greg modelle, somers point 115.01, 115.02 -- to be removed from alfa, see http://www.digest.net/bin/digest-subs.cgi or email "unsubscribe alfa" to [email protected]
