The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Valve Seats

I need some advice. I am rebuilding a 67 283. The valves look good in it and I was wondering if i need to spend the $250 to have hardened valve seats installed. The truck was run regularly as far as I know up to about 5 years ago. Any help would be appreciated.

When I had my head redone the valve seats only cost $60. All the head work combined (valves, guides, seals, springs, flux, valve job, etc...) cost about $250 total.

How many miles on your engine before you decided to rebuild it? If you are rebuilding why wouldn't you do the head?

If you are rebuilding the engine you must be doing a valve job also. You should have the hard seats put in but I don,t think it should cost that much.

I called around here and the valve job will cost $200. Seats are about $11 each and they want $150 to install the seats. The engine only has 100k on it but sat for several years so for insurance I was going to re-ring it only to find rust pitting in #7 from the exhaust valve being open all the time it sat.

I had a 70 Harley that I rode for years without putting hardened seats in it & never had a problem. I now have a 38 216 without hardened seats & have had no problem. I suppose since you're rebuilding anyway it wouldn't be a bad idea to change the seats but I don't think it's necessary. I remember reading a thread in another forum (VCCA I think) on this subject & the concensus was that unless you're planning on running the engine hard (racing, pulling heavy loads long distances, etc.), hardened seats are unnecessary.

Thanks for the info Tiny. I will be using the truck to cruz and to drive back and forth to work so I think I will do without the seats.

I don't think you will need them unless you plan on a lot of hard use. Its the heat with lack of lubricant that eats away the seat. The lead in fuel was the lubricant. Replace only those that are worn out.

My thoughts are, if you replace all 16, you now have 16 parts that could come loose! To replace these, the machine shop will cut out a area around the seat, then the new seat is pressed into place, no mechanical bond. The next step is to finish machining the seat to spec's. One of the draw backs is if they seat is not matched to the port throat, they leave a step which really messes with the air flow on the intake side. Replacement seats are great way to get a worn head back to full compression, but for long term parade style driving, totally unnessecary! Joe

Thanks Joe.

I haven't pulled the heads apart yet, but what I can see, I should not need and valves. The machine shops are pushing the seats, but I think I will do without them.

I'm still running soft seats in my trailer pulling 1-ton across the desert on 115 deg. days. Yuma - San Diego = 4500 ft. elevation change both ways, hill is in between. Always figured when it broke I'd fix it. It's a '63 B.B.,haven't had to yet. Doug