Pitted Valve Seat

mojojojo78

Active member
So I got my valves out of my 226 H-Series Flathead. Everything looked fine. Then I started cleaning it up a bit and noticed that one of my intake valve seats is pitted pretty bad. Is there a way I can fix this myself, or am I going to have to take it to a shop and have a seat put in? If that is the case I am guessing I should have all the intake valve seats done. The exhaust look like they have hardened seats installed. All the intakes don't have inserts.
 
Hi, If you are lucky you can use lapping compound to re seal the valves. If you try it in the car be very careful to clean it all out. It is of course an abrasive compound and will damage you engine if you get it inside. If the pitting is bad it is valve job time. That doesn't mean new seats are needed, the old ones are redone with a grinding stone. You and the machine shop decide how far to go ie. new or old valves, new springs, even if it can be done with the engine in the car. Good luck
 
:unsure: You may be alright would have to see it to know, usally there is no advantage installing hard seats on all the intakes. If you are going with a larger intake it might not be nessiary depends on were the pitting located on the seat too. X 2 the lapping compound is about the only way you could fix it yourself unless you have access to auto machine shop equipment. Otherwise there is some power to be gained with a good 3 angle valve job (or better still is a Serdi radiused valve seat) next back cut the valves, with pocket porting of the valve bowls and shaping the valve guides, porting and relieving the block, and some of that you can do at home with a good grinder. Good luck :nod:
 
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