The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 848 head rebuild, Northeast

Who have you used to rebuild your 848 head? I'm thinking full job, decking, guides, valves, seats, springs, everything. And what did you pay? Special interest in anyone in the SE Pennsylvania area.

Thanks for your time

Ed

I dont know about south east, but The Engine Shop in Collingdale, Pennsylvania does a lot of classic and antique motor rebuilds. They have done all of my machine work for quite a few years now. I would imagine they can handle your 348 head.

http://theengineshopinc.com/home.html

Mike, Appreciate it. only about 45 mins south of me.

Just a suggestion- - - - -unless you're planning to do a lot of full throttle running while pulling maximum gross weight loads, using Stellite valve seats for the exhaust valves is just an unnecessary expense, and runs a risk of cracking a good head while they're being driven into place. A safer, less expensive option would be to install stainless steel exhaust valves for a small block Chevy V8- - - - -they have the same dimensions as stovebolt exhaust valves, and brand new ones are dirt cheap on Ebay.
Jerry

Hot rod,

Thanks, MIke above caught my mistake, I meant 848 head for an inline 6. I'm installing it (eventually) on a 261. Would that change things as far as your recommendation regarding the seats and valves? From my very limited knowledge, I was under the impression that new seats were a necessity for unleaded gas. Are you saying I can run the older seats with a new set of stainless valves?

Appreciate the expertise.

Ed

Ed, your 261 has simesed cylinders so be sure the 848 head you have has the coolant holes in it, or you will have to drill them in it at a 12 degree angle... the same as I did to my 848 head going on my 261. (Some folks call them steam holes)

Hard seats for unleaded gas is a myth that was pretty much debunked a couple of decades ago or more, but the story still persists for some reason. Remember the phrase "old wives' tales"? When something like that gets repeated about cars, I call them "Old mehanics' tales". "Keep a hot engine running while adding water" is one of the classics. If you're driving a Model T Ford or maybe a Farmall Cub tractor (engines that don't have a water pump) that advice might have been sort of correct. In reality, the way to add water to a hot engine is to shut it down and wait until it's a cold engine! Running it simply forces the cold water into the engine faster, where it can crack cylinder walls, or cause a steam eruption that will injure someone.

Hardened valve seats are only necessary for engines running a "dry" fuel like Propane or LP gas, or maybe ones that spend a long time running against a heavy load at wide open throttle. Hobby restorations like the average stovebolt engine powers just don't qualify on either situation, and the process of counterboring a decades-old cylinder head for hard seats and pounding them into place with a heavy hammer and a seat driver is a pretty risky procedure. Too loose of a counterbore, and the seat can fall out, and if it's too tight the head can be cracked during the installation procedure. All for an imaginary benefit!
Jerry

Alvin, thanks for the reminder. I did know that, but a tap on the shoulder and a pointer from an expert is always appreciated.(especially when I overlooked it on the the thing to do to the rebuilt head list)

Jerry, very much appreciate the explanation. I was sold on having to do seats, but having to stress the part out a little less (and save a few bucks) seems like a win/win situation.

As always folks, your time and expertise is very much appreciated

Ed