1965 389 cylinder head new valves
 

Hi friends

Valve job question. I’m just rebuilding my cylinder heads. The old valves looking okay but I like to replace with correct sealed power intake / exhaust valves.

If I use these new Standart valves like from sealed power what have I to do with the valves ? Only grind them with a special lube paste in two steps in the head ? Or have I let the new valves go to a machine shop ?
Or should I use my old valves again after cleaning ? They re still straight 7oK on them ..how to clean ? With a Messing wire brush ?
Thx for any feedback

ANYTIME you replace valves you need to do a complete valve grind. Attempting to use lapping compound as a replacement is NOT a good plan. Reusing OE welded valves with 70K on them (how old?) is a recipe for disaster. Quality stainless steel valves are affordable and are a definite upgrade over the OE type.

Yes, you need to get a valve job done to insure good sealing, you also while things are apart check the side of each rocker stud ( front and rear lenght wise ) for signs of the slot in the rocker are digging a groove into them due to the push rod guide holes in the head being warn.

Also flip over each rocker adjusting nut and confirm that they have not been over torqued and showing signs of cracking as in my drawing posted here.

New valves
 

Thx for feedback.. so it’s better to go with the old valves .. cleaning, and grinding with the lubing paste in two steps .. all valves are still looking good after 70K miles and 55 years ..

How is the best way to clean the dirty valves ?
A brass brush ?

From hurryinhoosier62 a couple of posts ago:

Reusing OE welded valves with 70K on them (how old?) is a recipe for disaster. Quality stainless steel valves are affordable and are a definite upgrade over the OE type.

The heads are already off the engine and apart, that's half the battle. I would send them to a good machine shop and have a valve job done with new valves . Maybe convert to screw in studs . Years ago a friend of mine tried to do what you are planning to a set of 670 heads. He cleaned the old valves with a wire wheel and lapped them in with compound. The results were anything but great after he put them back on his 428. Eventually he sent a spare set of 670 heads to Nunzi. The heads came back looking brand new with high flow stainless valves. He swore the 428 picked up a noticeable increase in HP and the engine ran great for another 30k miles until he sold the car. Some things are not worth doing yourself, leave it to the pros with the right equipment.

55 years old? DO NOT reuse those valves unless you have a very deep bank account! Old OE valves are known for suffering head separations. The corrosive effects of the combustion process eat into the welds on the microscopic level where it can not be detected. The heads are off; it’s a perfect time to have them cleaned, valve guide clearances checked, the decks trued, valve springs checked and/or replaced and the entire valve train upgraded(as was earlier mentioned).