Got the engine outta my 52 F1 ( 54 merc y block) which I'm going to lap the valves in and I'm wondering has anyone polished the valves to a mirror finish and if so did it do any good? Seen some you tube on it but no one gave results.Have the engine out cause I had to pull the crank.Seems previous owner welded the pulley hub to the crank so I had to take it to the machine shop to cut it off on the lathe. Interior of engine looks like new at just under 12000 miles.Never rebuilt.Anyway if someone did their valves let me know. Thank you

 

They will be shiny for...what, say an hours' running time?
I don't see the point. Your time would be better spent dialing in timing, advance and jetting.

 

The valves are a waste of time, if you have that kind of time polish the chambers and pocket port behind the valves.

 

Never heard of polishing the valve. Polishing and relieving the (valve) ports, yes.

 

Thanks guys.I had the vales on my SG 500"hemi done years ago and it picked up a few hundredths for $180. Didn't know if a street engine would gain anything.I'm just going to lap em in and call it good.

 

Polish valves? I didn't know Poland was known for valves. I heard Swedish valves are good.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

Years ago... when taking the Auto Tech program at a Jr College, we polished 1/2 of the valves of an 8 cyl motor. About 1000 miles later we pulled the motor due to a rod knock. All the valves looked the same (deposits). So as mentioned above, probably not worth polishing.

 

Well I was just contemplating since I read a lot about it. Some said it helped others said no.I was talking to Darrel Aldermans engine guy at seattle who said it was worth a hundredth to them but they had to clean em every time the engine was apart.So I just lapped them in. I'll spend more time on engine cosmetics instead.

 

Any smoothing of intake areas will help increase flow at high rpm but will hinder air fuel mixing at lower speeds .

 

With tiny little valves on a 256 inch motor I'm not interested in trying for great horsepower gains.Otherwise I'd just put a 440 in it.