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Intake Valve pitting

Replace or Use?

  • Replace, they're done for.

    Votes: 1 25.0%
  • Put them in, it's nothing to worry about.

    Votes: 3 75.0%

  • Total voters
    4

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jinscho

Proven Member
636
321
Jun 16, 2017
Bangor, Pennsylvania
I went out and picked up a brass wire wheel for my bench grinder today so I could get the old valves cleaned up in preparation of reassembling my head. After everything was cleaned up, I noticed quite a bit of pitting on two valves. My immediate thought was "these need to be tossed and I need to buy new", but before I go and throw even more money into this build I wanted to get some expert opinions. What do you think? Replace, or are these good to use?
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Any pitting on the stems or where the head of the valve and the stem meet? I couldn't see them that well in the pictures.
 
This is very common on old valves, not sure what causes it exactly but I've seen it allot over the years. The valve seat face is what matters for sealing. Pitting/corrosion on the valve seat and/or valve seat face would be a concern though.

My guess would be condensation cycles from sitting static for a long time.
 
I think you will be ok. If you doubt at all, throw 2 other valves in it that are in better shape.
 
On a basic stock motor I wouldnt be worried about it. At worst those 2 more pitted valves will collect more carbon deposits and be dirtier

Usually I think cylinder 4 has the more pitted intake valves from the egr valve dumping more nastiness back in the system

EGR is being deleted, so that shouldn't be an issue moving forward :thumb:

those valves look they will seal just fine. But test it. Lap the ones that leak if any.

wish mine looked that good

Normal, some are just rough castings from the factory, some get pitted.

Yup they look fine, the mating surface that meets the valve seat looks good and thick yet so there not likely to fail during normal operation.

Thanks for the feedback from everyone! I'm sure these valves will all come out in the future when I decide I want to upgrade the valvetrain, because let's be honest, it'll happen sooner than planned :sneaky:. I'm going to go ahead and lap these and get everything installed. The shortblock looks so sad sitting complete without a cylinder head to go with it, need to remedy that situation :hellyeah:
 
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