rocker and valve questions

[RedPonyGT]

I'm in the process of rebuilding a 69 351w.
I removed the valves, springs, and rockers yesterday and according to my book, the fact that there is a warn shiny spot on the rocker where it contacts the valve suggests I need to replace the rockers and valves. Have you guys heard of this? What problem does this indicate?
If I do have to replace them, I might as well buy new heads...
Thanks guys,
John

 

[Rusty67]

Maybe you should buy new heads and maybe not. Are they the C9OE casting heads ? If they are, you should just do a valve job on them and have them ported. You should also put screw in studs with full roller rockers in there as well.

This may seem expensive as it would cost almost as much as a pair of aftermarket heads, but the reason I'm recomending it is that I don't know how original you are trying to make everything.

 

[RedPonyGT]

They are C90E heads and I don't really care about originality. The engine is going into a 65 mustang that was a 6. I am putting in a T5 as well so not to worried about it. Could I just get away with buying new valves and rockers and cleaning the heads? If it gets up too much in cost, I may just buy new heads...

 

[Rusty67]

To be honest, if they are original valves you should replace them for reliability sake no matter what. The original valves are 2 piece valves. I think it cost me around 100 bux to buy a new set of valves. Definately get full roller rockers and have the heads machines for screw in studs and guide plates. Also, at a bare minimum have the thermactor hump grownd down.

My machinest charged me all of 30 or 40 bux to prep both heads for the studs/guide plates and I think I payed 30 bux for the studs/guide plates as a set. They were used but still perfectly good.

You are going to be into it for a valve job of course. I havn't had my heads done yet because I'm going to send them out to Thumper460 for porting and I've been slow/lazy about it.

 

[D.Hearne]

Any motor with any run time on it, will have shiny areas where there's metal to metal contact. Now, how worn that area is, is the question you have to worry about. And as for reusing the valves, that to me, depends on intended use later. For just a hopped up occasional mild build, the valves could be fine as is, after letting a machine shop inspect em and work em over. It's your money to spend.

 

[Fast63]

Any motor with any run time on it, will have shiny areas where there's metal to metal contact. Now, how worn that area is, is the question you have to worry about. And as for reusing the valves, that to me, depends on intended use later. For just a hopped up occasional mild build, the valves could be fine as is, after letting a machine shop inspect em and work em over. It's your money to spend.

Ditto!