Hardened seats?
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Hardened seats?
I finished up what was supposed to be a 'quick switch' engine for my daily driver 66 stepside. One of the shortcuts unfortunately taken was omitting the addition of hardened seats. What do you all think? Do any of the additives actually work (from experience)? How long will this engine last? I want to switch them out with some Edelbrocks when I can find them reasonable (anybody got a pair?). How much time do I have. Truck gets about 50 miles a day. Running fairly low compression, (390 GT heads on a 360 block). I asked this before, but I like another round of opinions.
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: SW Michigan
Hardened seats?
Music, I think additives are worthless. Tetraethyl lead would be great, but is not usually available, is toxic, and exspensive if you can find it. Edelbrock makes some dandy heads, but I think it would be wise to find an extra set of iron heads and put hard seats in them while saving your $$$ for the E-brocks. How long you engine will last without them is a function of speed and load. High rpm and trailer pulling will cause you trouble faster. DF
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Hardened seats?
From what you describe, it is MY opinion that you should have some time till you swap. MY opinion is that additives cause a lot more problems, gunking up the system, if used when not needed.
Now for more than you asked:
I think that hardened seats depends on a few things:
1 - what kind of valves you use
2- if they have been ground a few times
3 – how high is the RPM.
If the shop grinds the seats too sharp, the mating area wiil be beat down and the seal would be lost, it kills the seat. From my experience, hardened valves and real strong springs with a poor grinding of the seats can cause problems. But as I said above, I doubt that this will effect you.
Now for more than you asked:
I think that hardened seats depends on a few things:
1 - what kind of valves you use
2- if they have been ground a few times
3 – how high is the RPM.
If the shop grinds the seats too sharp, the mating area wiil be beat down and the seal would be lost, it kills the seat. From my experience, hardened valves and real strong springs with a poor grinding of the seats can cause problems. But as I said above, I doubt that this will effect you.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: All over Texas
Hardened seats?
You've just asked the million-dollar question that I asked as many people as possible just a few months ago. Overall the consensus was that an engine would run fine and operate normally for 25,000 to 50,000 miles without hardened seats. I even had one machine shop head specialist tell me that there is absolutely no reason to put hardened seats in FE heads...and he was extremely adamant about it. I wound up going elsewhere and having the hardened seats installed inasmuch as it is just plain cheap insurance. Considering your driving characteristics, you should not have any problems for quite some time.
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Hardened seats?
Please keep the opinions coming. Everyone seems to be at one end or the other, no in-betweens. Very interesting. About a 50/50 split from all the places I've inquired. Musicminer
http://i10.yimg.com/10/b6af958c/g/4/888387ca.jpg
The engine in question. Yes, the intake came off in favor of a 427 low riser with a 600 Holley, and no they're not really aluminum. (Image is everything! Not really, but it helps)
http://i10.yimg.com/10/b6af958c/g/4/888387ca.jpg
The engine in question. Yes, the intake came off in favor of a 427 low riser with a 600 Holley, and no they're not really aluminum. (Image is everything! Not really, but it helps)
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2000
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Hardened seats?
Non hardend valve seats do not wear out quickly! you have a MINIMUM of 40,000 miles before you might even start to show a problem. If you have access to leaded race gas, run a mixture of about 2 gallons, to ten gallons of unleaded every 10,000 miles and the heads will last as long as the rest of the motor.
I run about a gallon of leaded race gas per twenty gallons of unleaded, about every two months in my old muscle cars, but they have high compression and need a little extra attention, but I've never needed the vaves done even on my 63 with it's stock original motor.
I run about a gallon of leaded race gas per twenty gallons of unleaded, about every two months in my old muscle cars, but they have high compression and need a little extra attention, but I've never needed the vaves done even on my 63 with it's stock original motor.
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