Engine and cylinder head reconditioning in Cardiff
Family run since 1979, we’re a full machine shop on Lamby Industrial Park. Reboring, honing, crankshaft grinding, head skimming and valve work are all done here, in house, for motorcycles, cars and trucks.
Open Monday to Saturday.
0.00025 inThe tolerance our cylinders are honed to, with the crosshatch angle and surface finish set for each application.
Family run since 1979
South Wales Piston Services was established in 1979 and is still a family-run business, with over 40 years’ experience in engine components, machining and engineering. Our engineers are fully qualified in their field, we have the latest equipment, and we offer a first-class service.
Our core values: treating all customers fairly, pursuing uncompromised integrity, and delivering excellence in all that we do.
Members of the Engine Builders Association (AERA) and the Federation of Engine Re-manufacturers (FER).
A complete service for engines and cylinder heads
We’re a full machine shop, so all the machining and reconditioning of your engine and cylinder head is carried out here, in house, at very competitive prices.
Blocks and crankshafts
- Rebore and hone cylinder blocks
- Reboring with liner changing and recess cutting
- Regrind crankshafts, with crack testing, straightening, seal tracks and journal rebuilding
- Check and resize connecting rods
- In-line boring of bearing housings
- Pressure test water jackets on blocks and heads
Cylinder heads
- Recondition cylinder heads
- Reface and insert valve seats
- Resize or replace valve guides
- Lead-free (unleaded) conversions
- Mill or grind heads and blocks to manufacturers’ specifications
Our engineers and technicians are always on hand for advice on any engine. Just ask: 029 2077 9979.
The machine shop
Everything is machined here, on our own equipment, from the smallest motorcycle to the largest truck.
| Machine | What it does | Range or tolerance |
|---|---|---|
| Rottler and Comec surfacers | Resurface cylinder heads and blocks | 16 in cutting width (Rottler) |
| Cylinder honing | Crosshatch angle and surface finish set for each application | Within 0.00025 in |
| AMC crankshaft grinder | Regrinds cranks for motorcycles, cars and trucks | Up to 1.8 m long |
| SERDI Millennium 3 | Recuts valve seats | Any angle, or multi-angle |
| Rottler VR7 | Refaces valves | – |
| Preset diamond hones | Size valve guides | – |
| Berco line borer | Line bores overhead-cam journals | To manufacturer’s specification |
| Welding and brazing | Repairs corroded head faces, holes in ports and cracks. Aluminium welding is a speciality. | Aluminium, stainless and cast iron |
| Timer-controlled oven | Stress-relieves crack-repaired heads | 24 hours |
| Helicoil, Timesert and Ezlok | Thread inserts supplied and fitted | All sizes |
We take on bespoke general engineering work too. Just ask.
A typical cylinder head job
Head gasket gone? Every head is different, but a typical job runs like this.
Clean
Degreased and aqua blasted in one process, back to clean metal.
Crack and pressure test
Water jackets pressure tested. Cracks can be welded, then the head is stress-relieved for 24 hours.
Skim
The face is resurfaced on the Rottler or Comec, to the manufacturer’s specification.
Seats and guides
Seats recut to any angle on the SERDI. Guides sized with diamond hones, or replaced.
Valves
Valves refaced on the Rottler VR7, or new valves fitted.
Test
Tested and ready to collect. We can arrange delivery too.
“Excellent service! Quick turnaround – head gasket went on my daughter’s car, head was skimmed, new valves fitted and head tested ready for collection within 24 hours. Highly recommended!”
Aqua blasting
The ideal process for cleaning alloy parts back to the original satin cast finish. Our Vixen Aquablast wet blasting machines degrease and blast at the same time.
Because the abrasive is carried in water, the finish is finer than dry blasting, no media is left in the part and there’s no dust.
Recommended by our customers
“Had some studs removed and retapped and a bracket welded up on my motorbike engine. Engine is now back in the frame and cost less than expected. Recommended.”
- “Fantastic service and reasonably priced. Would highly recommend.”
- “Great service, would highly recommend to anyone needing quality workmanship.”
- “Long established, well run, reliable service. Would highly recommend.”
For garages and the trade
Parts for your own builds, and free collection and delivery for trade customers.
Parts
Pistons, rings, liners, bearings, valves, guides, springs, gaskets, head bolts, crankshafts, timing chains and kits, water pumps, flywheels, oil filters and more, for our machine shop and over the counter. If we haven’t got it, we can get it.
Collection and delivery
We can arrange collection and delivery on request, and it’s free for trade customers.
Visit the workshop
Unit 2, Lamby Industrial Park,
Wentloog, Cardiff CF3 2EX
029 2077 9979info@southwalespistons.com
- Monday to Thursday
- 08:00–17:00
- Friday
- 08:00–16:00
- Saturday
- 09:00–12:00
- Sunday
- Closed
From the M4
- Leave at Junction 30 onto the A4232.
- At the second roundabout, take the A48 (Eastern Avenue).
- Leave the A48 for Newport Road (A4161, Southern Way).
- Keep right onto the A4232 flyover.
- At the roundabout, take Lamby Way.
- At the next roundabout, take the second exit.
- Take the third right into Wentloog Avenue.
- We’re through the second gate on the left.
