Ok I just pulled the head off my 78 and noticed that the smaller valve (i want to say exhaust but my mind draws a blank) is all f'd out of commision. It looks like someone used a punch and drove it into a clover shape. I am going to need a new valve obviously and my truck has 186K on it and I wondering how much a valve job will cost assuming it is necessary?

 

well if it's not sealing to the head, then you're in trouble. If it is then you're fine. With the head then look at where it's sealing and if you can see any gap then you're in need of a new set o' valves. It'd have been easier to check on the truck, with a compression or leakdown test. I'm guessing something in the thousand ballbark for the head job,

 

No the valve is completely shot. I could see past it when i had the head out. I ran a compression test just before all this work and pulled 120 in the first 3 cylinders and on down in the rest. Upon pulling the head i found out that the bolts came loose on the head somehow so that was part of compression problem and this valve should be the rest.

I was just told that if I get a new valve and spin in the seat and i get marks in the center of the face then i shouldnt need a grind. This sounds correct to me but we shall see how it turns out.

 

yeah as lomg as you don't see damage when you pull the valve out of the head you're fine. If it was hitting irregular it may have warped that seat, but I doubt it. How heavy is that head if you don't mind my asking?

 

Pretty damn heavy. I would rate it at a good 60 lbs at least. I have been getting out of shape but i can still carry at 45 lb weight easier than that thing.

 

yeah I thought so. I'm thinking about doing an overhaul in the nex year or two and I'm not looking forward to it. that whole engine is cast iron. not light.

 

I'm going to say that cast iron head weighs closer to 100 lbs than 60. It's HEAVY.

I also think $1000 is an awful lot for a valvejob, unless you're having some porting and polishing done. Run of the mill valve jobs usually go about $25 a valve.

 

yeah I was thinking about grinding all the seats, milling the thing to absolutely true, and re-assembling with new seals and springs. sounds like you're doing a bit less than that, as you're dissasebling/re-assembling it yourself.

 

I will give you the senario so you can see how much I want to spend even though i love the truck but i can justify the money.

It was my grandpas old truck and my grandparents got divorced 4 years ago after 40 years and he didnt need it anymore. My grandma kept the farm so she said if I can get it running I can have it. So I replaced a few things and it ran pretty good. I had to rebuild the rear axle since my grandpa stopped driving it when the pinion bearing went out. Sat for 10 years. Then the damn U-Joints broke and i had to have the drive shaft retubed...cost $300 never going to that welding shop again. So all in all i have spent way to much money on how ugly the truck is but you cant beat a '78 F150 short box single cab with 4x4.

 

then get the bare minimum. Get just that valve taken care of, and put it back on. If it runs and holds compression, then you're good.

 

If one valve is that bad, you should have them ground. Otherwise, the work you are doing now may be wasted. If you can tear it down and reassemble it, you will not be spending too much money.

I agree with you about the truck. 4x4 shorty is the kind I like. Very manuverable and short turning radius, great off road or on.

Too bad you didn't just get a driveshaft from a bone yard.

 

Thats the thing. I checked in a 75 mile radius of my house for a drive shaft and the fact that it was a 4x4 short box and single cab no one had a driveshaft that short. I was pretty disappointed because you can find about anything between these 2 junk yards i usually go to but nothing. And i was able to get a full 9" rear end for $50 cash. Oh well I guess thats the way things go