Hard Valve Seats, First Year??

[PAUL161]

What was the first year the "B"s came with hard valve seats? Was it 76? PJ

 

[bob67bgt]

On the other board there was a discussion about seats. The factory never installed hardened seats. There was a heat treat process or something like that to handle the leadfree fuel. I hope this sortof answers your question. Bob

 

[PAUL161]

On the other board there was a discussion about seats. The factory never installed hardened seats. There was a heat treat process or something like that to handle the leadfree fuel. I hope this sortof answers your question. Bob

Thanks Bob, I never knew that. So what were saying here is, all hardened seats were installed after the cars were new? No disrespect, but that doesn't make a lot of sense. That's a lot of engines to redo.

 

[bob67bgt]

I believe that to be correct. It'll get done one engine at a time and the job will not look so bad. Bob

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Paul, the factory never installed hardened exhaust seat insert (you don't need harden intake seats) they did in the final years do a mickey mouse hardneing procedure, a feeble effort by a comapny quickly going broke. When I rebuild heads, race heads (to be run on leaded race gas) or street head for unleaded fuel, it doens't matter they all get hardened exhasut seat inserts, otherwise regardless of how they look, they don't keep valve seal very long with out the hard seat inserts.

NO matter what goodies you have on your engine, or how well it is put together, if it is not sealng at the valve and rings, the horsepower is slipping away, this is whay racers are always pulling heads and lapping valve, they are trying to get every last poney.

Make sense now?

 

[PAUL161]

Make sense now?

Yes sir! It sure does. Thanks Hap.

Question, If I was going to have a head redone, should they install both intake and exhaust seats for a precise seal or just the exhaust. PJ

 

[bob67bgt]

Standard practice is just the exhaust seats unless there is a problem with the intakes from water/rust in there.I would be interested in Haps thoughts on this also. Bob