[STEELCITYFIREBIRD]

"When bronze liners are used, they sometimes chip the end of the OE iron guide area during installing, or crack them slightly if they use a ball broach to size them. Then a little piece of the guide breaks off in operation. "

I highly agree, we never used liners , and ran a cutter after install to dress up both ends. Never was a fan of liners from a machine shop perspective.

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by STEELCITYFIREBIRD

"When bronze liners are used, they sometimes chip the end of the OE iron guide area during installing, or crack them slightly if they use a ball broach to size them. Then a little piece of the guide breaks off in operation. "

I highly agree, we never used liners , and ran a cutter after install to dress up both ends. Never was a fan of liners from a machine shop perspective.

I am OK with the liners themselves, it's a love/hate kind of deal. I like that they are thin wall and can be easily installed and replaced. I like that they don't require a big hole to be drilled like a full size guide. I don't like the way most of the kits final size them with a carbide ball or a formed ball broach. Those are driven through the new guide with an air hammer to press and size them to the final size. But blasting a ball shaped sizing tool through an iron head is what can crack and chip the OE guide. Aluminum heads are no issue as far as the ones I have worked on. So my solution has been to install the guides and finish the inside diameter and size them with my Sunnen valve guide hone. It's a time consuming, messy extra operation, but produces very nice results. Very round and straight when finished. Much better than the impact sizing tools.