| |
BUSY BOLTERS Are you one?  The Shop Area
continues to pull in the most views on the Stovebolt. In August alone there were over 22,000 views in those 13 forums.
| | Click on image for the lowdown. 
====
| | | Forums66 Topics126,781 Posts1,039,297 Members48,100 | | Most Online2,175
Jul 21st, 2025 | | | | Joined: Sep 2017 Posts: 19 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Sep 2017 Posts: 19 | Just pulled the head off my '49 3600 216 with 46K miles. It seem to run pretty well but huge cloud of smoke until it warmed up. Then just a little smoke. Also no smoke on compression going down hill so I was guessing it need valve seals and maybe a valve job.
The head has cleaned up pretty well and is straight. But the valves look bad. Also some of them are flat and some cupped. Not intake one way and exhaust the other. All were very difficult to clean up and some have pits and they had lots of carbon on the mating surface. So I'm guessing someone put a handful of other brand valves at some point. Pistons had carbon but cylinder walls look great and almost no ridge.
Anyway it looks like I'll need to buy new valves. So my question is where should I buy them? Can I just seat them in with dual grit compound?
Thanks for the help. Larry
Last edited by Peggy M; 07/23/2024 4:57 PM. Reason: added full truck year to help with searches ;)
1949 3600 216 4 speed (completely original)
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,675 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,675 | Valves are only one third of the equation. You also need to have properly-fitting valve guides, and the correct position and width of the valve seats. You'll also need to get the head magnafluxed to check for cracks. Doing a shade tree job after buying a whole set of valves would be a really bad decision. Bite the bullet and let a good machine shop do their thing.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2017 Posts: 19 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Sep 2017 Posts: 19 | Thanks Jerry, I'll check out having the head done by a machine shop. Still seems odd to me that the valves don't match. Do you know are these value usually flat or cupped? The valve seals were still in place but they were pretty hard. However I removed them all without breaking any. They are just little rubber rings similar to o-rings. Do the new seals the same or more like a newer engine at the bottom of the spring? Larry
1949 3600 216 4 speed (completely original)
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,675 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,675 | Those rubber O rings are supposed to prevent oil running down the valve stems and puddling on top of the guides. If you choose to use some type of umbrella-style seal, DO NOT double up and use the O rings as well. It's possible to get too much of a seal and wear the guides out from lack of lubrication.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,675 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,675 | Stovebolt six exhaust valves are identical to the ones used in a lot of small block V8's. There's no point in paying outrageous prices to some resto-ripoff place for part number matching exhaust valves when stainless steel exhausts are a dime a dozen from lots of online suppliers. They're better quality and more durable than OEM valves, and they'll probably last as long as you own the truck. The intake valves are sort of oddball- - - -I don't know of a suitable work-around on them.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2017 Posts: 19 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Sep 2017 Posts: 19 | Hey thanks again. I already found that NAPA has the intake for $21 while the exhaust are $7 each.
1949 3600 216 4 speed (completely original)
| | |
|
|
| |
