Cleaning the cylinder head (pictures)

[fitethesystom]

Here is a few pictures of my cleaning the valves procedure. The next step is to remove them and fully clean all carbon build up off.
See below.

[fitethesystom]

Another

[fitethesystom]

Next I'm going to remove them and clean out the valve openings and fully clean the valves. Will get pics.

[fitethesystom]

Is it normal for there to be alot of carbon build up on the valves? They seem to be in quite good shape, I spent a while chipping the carbon build up off, none the less it came off and they look good again. I used a high speed drill with 2 types of wire brushes and did that ever save me alot of work! Thanks.

I'm guessing alot of the carbon was there from being jetted too rich and all the oil leaking past the the piston.

Mike

[lafinrat]

Are the intake valve faces wore out? I haven't seen a set yet that could be salvaged unless they were almost new. The exhausts seem to last a lot longer though.

The buildup is most likely oil deposits. If there was build up on the intake valves, it is most likely oil from the guides. Make sure you check the stem-to-guide clearance and replace the valve seals, and the valves and/or guides if needed.

[fitethesystom]

Here's a guy making the old new again.

http://www.timgilles.com/photogallery/Engines/8.29grindingwornvalve.jpg

I love seeing that ****!

[lafinrat]

Do you have any pictures of the valves after they were cut? I'm curious about the position of them. That doesn't even look like a 400EX valve. Is it an intake or exhaust.

[fitethesystom]

no its not..... how does that look wore out?

[lafinrat]

Its hard to tell, since its not cut all the way yet. Here's a pic of a wore out 400ex valve.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c33/lafinrat/100_1427.jpg

[fitethesystom]

i dunno man....... i never knew valves to wear out so much.....on cars they dont wear out very much till the piston/bore/rings is gone, that valve dont look too bad to me but get a bigger pic if possible

[fitethesystom]

HERES a worn out valve!

[lafinrat]

The closer I get, the more blurry it is. That valve in my picture is wasted. If it were cut, it would be sunk in the head probably 0.010". That's the equivalant of losing that much lift on the cam, as far as flow is concerned. Plus the contact margin would be on the edge of the valve and you could shave with it.

The 400ex intake valves are almost always wore out. The exhausts seem to live longer. It must be a material issue. I don't know if the exhausts are inconel are what.
Plus the valve train is heavy and undersprung so I'm sure that contributes to the problem. The 450R's have similar problems with beating the seats into the heads.

And..........valve train failures are the most frequent in race motors. Especially ti valves, they last about a season and thats it. They wear out no matter what guide and seat material is used. I have lots of pictures of broken 1 piece valves and wore out ti valves and retainers.

[alaskin 450R]

fitethesystom, dude valves wear all the time, the can were that much all the time, im rebuilding a truck right now and the valves were woarn all valves are going to get wear, hes probly showing use the exhaust valve, thats y there is all that carbon on it.