Things you will need:
100-200cc Buret w/ PTFE Stop Cock
Buret Support Stand
Buret Clamps (Need 2 if you use the type I have)
Refill Bottle (Called "Wash Bottle at a Lab Supply)
Small Drain Pan
Light Grease
Plexiglass Plate (3/16" to 3/8" Thick)
Permanent Marker (Sharpie works well)
Fluid (I used Diesel Fuel) Edit on 4-24-11: I found that the paraffin wax in diesel fuel was clogging the tip
of the Buret. I changed to Rubbing Alcohol with red food dye. This worked better.
Here is a picture of my setup with all the supplies. From Lab Depot I bought the following items for $86, including shipping.
100cc Buret w/ PTFE Stop Cock, (ASTM E-287, Class A)(Accuracy: +- 0.1 ml)
http://www.labdepotinc.com/Product_Deta ... 60020.aspx
Buret Stand
Buret Clamps (2)
Wash Bottles (Package of 4)
First assembly all your supplies and find a suitable surface with plenty of room. Space will be important if you are working with a glass buret, they are VERY fragile. If you have a plastic buret, then you don't have to worry so much, but accuracy will probably be less or much more expensive.
Add fluid to your refill bottle, then add some to your buret. IMPORTANT - Wait about two minutes for the fluid level to stabilize. Sometimes there are bubbles or the fluid just needs time to reach the bottom. Remember were dealing with difference of a few drops.
NOTE: To take a reading you will need to be aware of two things. They are, "Parallax Error" and "Meniscus". You can see in the image below how parallax can introduce error into your reading. Take a look at these links for more info.
Parallax Error
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallax
Meniscus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meniscus
Once the fluid level has stabilized, then drain some fluid into your pan, at the same time watch the level in the buret. You will want to stop precisely on a major graduation. This will also fill the tip of the buret, below the stop cock.
Now you are ready to prepare the volume you want to measure, or in my case the piston valve reliefs. Wipe a small amount of grease around the edge of the volume you want to measure. Place the Plexiglas plate with the hole near the edge of the valve reliefs press down to seal the edges. I noticed that with the Lubriplate grease that I used, it looked like a spider web around the edges, but it still sealed.
Unless you fill the buret to the top or the zero mark, make note of the fluid level. Since I was only measuring about 5cc per piston, I usually started at about 70cc-80cc mark. Position the piston and plate under the buret. Open the valve and allow the volume to fill with fluid. As the fluid approaches the hole, you will want to slow down to just a drip. When it's full to the bottom of the hole, then give it a minute to see if the fluid level goes down, if it does, there might have been a bubble somewhere or you have a leak. If you are not sure, repeat the process.
If the fluid level in the piston valve reliefs seems stable, then read the number off CC's and subtract to get the measured volume. Once you feel you have an accurate measurement, then document your findings. I used the Sharpie and wrote on the bottom of the piston.
I'm sure I left out a few details, but maybe this enough to get you thinking about how you can do this yourself. For what you have to pay a machine shop to perform this operation on your heads and pistons you could purchase a complete setup. Then it will essentially be free for the next engine.
100-200cc Buret w/ PTFE Stop Cock
Buret Support Stand
Buret Clamps (Need 2 if you use the type I have)
Refill Bottle (Called "Wash Bottle at a Lab Supply)
Small Drain Pan
Light Grease
Plexiglass Plate (3/16" to 3/8" Thick)
Permanent Marker (Sharpie works well)
Fluid (I used Diesel Fuel) Edit on 4-24-11: I found that the paraffin wax in diesel fuel was clogging the tip
of the Buret. I changed to Rubbing Alcohol with red food dye. This worked better.
Here is a picture of my setup with all the supplies. From Lab Depot I bought the following items for $86, including shipping.
100cc Buret w/ PTFE Stop Cock, (ASTM E-287, Class A)(Accuracy: +- 0.1 ml)
http://www.labdepotinc.com/Product_Deta ... 60020.aspx
Buret Stand
Buret Clamps (2)
Wash Bottles (Package of 4)
First assembly all your supplies and find a suitable surface with plenty of room. Space will be important if you are working with a glass buret, they are VERY fragile. If you have a plastic buret, then you don't have to worry so much, but accuracy will probably be less or much more expensive.
Add fluid to your refill bottle, then add some to your buret. IMPORTANT - Wait about two minutes for the fluid level to stabilize. Sometimes there are bubbles or the fluid just needs time to reach the bottom. Remember were dealing with difference of a few drops.
NOTE: To take a reading you will need to be aware of two things. They are, "Parallax Error" and "Meniscus". You can see in the image below how parallax can introduce error into your reading. Take a look at these links for more info.
Parallax Error
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallax
Meniscus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meniscus
Once the fluid level has stabilized, then drain some fluid into your pan, at the same time watch the level in the buret. You will want to stop precisely on a major graduation. This will also fill the tip of the buret, below the stop cock.
Now you are ready to prepare the volume you want to measure, or in my case the piston valve reliefs. Wipe a small amount of grease around the edge of the volume you want to measure. Place the Plexiglas plate with the hole near the edge of the valve reliefs press down to seal the edges. I noticed that with the Lubriplate grease that I used, it looked like a spider web around the edges, but it still sealed.
Unless you fill the buret to the top or the zero mark, make note of the fluid level. Since I was only measuring about 5cc per piston, I usually started at about 70cc-80cc mark. Position the piston and plate under the buret. Open the valve and allow the volume to fill with fluid. As the fluid approaches the hole, you will want to slow down to just a drip. When it's full to the bottom of the hole, then give it a minute to see if the fluid level goes down, if it does, there might have been a bubble somewhere or you have a leak. If you are not sure, repeat the process.
If the fluid level in the piston valve reliefs seems stable, then read the number off CC's and subtract to get the measured volume. Once you feel you have an accurate measurement, then document your findings. I used the Sharpie and wrote on the bottom of the piston.
I'm sure I left out a few details, but maybe this enough to get you thinking about how you can do this yourself. For what you have to pay a machine shop to perform this operation on your heads and pistons you could purchase a complete setup. Then it will essentially be free for the next engine.
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