Valve job

[kmac530]

I have officially hit that point of no return. That "while I'm in there". That "It's only another $50". That "I might as well". That "there is no sense NOT replacing that while I have the....off".

I took my motor apart with the intent of just pulling the rear main bearing cap to swap out the AT flex plate bolts over to the longer MT flywheel bolts. So of course I was going to need an oil pan gasket. Then you never want to pull the rear main bearing with replacing the rear seal, stupid not too. And then the front seals leak so easy, you have to replace that cause it is "right there".

So then I look at pricing all of the stuff I needed and, pssshhh, a minor engine overhaul kit is only $50 more than the parts I need. Why not just do the rings and bearing too boot.

Hey the kit also comes with valve seals...I got the heads off anyway. $70 to mill the heads and have a good fresh surface and bump the compression a bit...of course. Then hey its only $150 ish for Isky to do a ST5 grind on the cam, and I LOVE a little ratta tat tat idle...gotta do that.

Now I drop my heads off at the machine shop to mill them and he says "are sure those are hardened seats?". "I don't know, it is a 1963 that I do not think has ever been opened up, would it have had hardened seats originally?"...."nope, I will only charge you $225 to do a complete valve job with new hardened seats and everything, you dont want a problem later, while you are in there you might as well"

"Tell you what, a Max 0f $300 for the mill and the complete valve job, parts and labor"

Somebody catch me...I'm on that slippery slope and I have fallen and I can't get up......

PS: Is that a decent price for a set of Stude heads?

[Warren Webb]

Kelly, call Star Auto Parts on Magnolia in Riverside & ask them what they charge. They are one of the few parts stores left that have their own machine shop. I seem to remember they charge $95.00 for a 3 angle valve job but dont know if thats per head or the pair.

[kmac530]

Thanks buddy, I will give them a call. That has to be per head and is that parts too I wonder...I will call.
I have not given him the authorization to do the valve job yet.

[Mike Van Veghten]

Not to disway...but a $95..3 angle valve job....sounds really scarry..!
There's "many" ways to do a...."3 angle valve grind", and to cheap out is not the way to do it. It's not an hour job, and $95 is about an hours wirth of work..!

I'd ask to look at work they've previously done. Look close at the details. E.g., are ALL of the angles the same width, are the seats (the 45 degree part), near the "outside" of the valve seat, are the 30 degree angles fully cleaned up, that is, at least near 100%, all the way around, Simillarly, is the 70 degree bottom cut at least 80% clean..all the way around..? These are some of the thins to look at. Does the intake valve have a back cut on it ? Etc., etc.
Unless you know the shops work, check out their work that's laying around the shop before you say yes to anything.

Mike