Painting my engine a few questions

[Sesman]

Thanks Ken. Makes perfect sense. TBH I didn’t study the cylinder head oil pathways before reassembling as I went for the bung removal method after I’d cleaned up. As you say, I was probably being over cautious as the gallery proved to be squeaky clean.

Ta again.

[Oddjob]

To me Phil, removing them just means they have the potential to fail afterwards, I can't see the point of risking them blowing out under pressure and ruining the engine. The risk of that IMO exceeds the risk of damage caused by anything in those galleries. Especially if you clean them as I describe, like taking a lump hammer to a hazelnut. 

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I'm risk averse so not a fan of invasive cleaning like removing plugs.

[Sesman]

So am am I, Ted. ‘Twas the reason I checked the gallery for debris. Done properly there is as much chance of the plunges blowing out as there was when the engine was originally built. Personally I wouldn’t do it again as it was a right faff with no real benefit as it turns out.

[Oddjob]

Whilst a faff as you call it others may ruin the plug trying to get it out or it might leak afterwards for instance. No real gain IMO for what is a right pain to do correctly. If you were an engineer for instance you could always make a new plug if you ruined the old one but why bother.

[Sesman]

Aye. I had new ones made by a mate. Just seen a Milyard vid where he does the same to a 900 Kwacker.

[Oddjob]

Were they just flat sided plugs Phil or were they tapered so the further they went in the tighter they become. I'd imagine Honda pressed them in hydraulically, not the same if you're knocking them in with a hammer I'd imagine.

[Sesman]

Just a slight taper to get them started. Cold plugs pressed into a warm head,but you could knock them in just as easily.