1961 Chevrolet Corvair 95 Rampside

[Maniacmechanic1]

The Carbon buildup on the backside of the valves I remove with a wirebrush wheel on a bench grinder. Wear safety glasses.

 

[55C150]

The Carbon buildup on the backside of the valves I remove with a wirebrush wheel on a bench grinder. Wear safety glasses.

I used steel wool and drill on the backside of the valves. The valves rotated in the drill and holding it in one hand, in the other hand was the steel wool.

 

[Indycars]

I used steel wool and drill on the backside of the valves. The valves rotated in the drill and holding it in one hand, in the other hand was the steel wool.

For the kind of vehicle you are restoring and the goals you have, that sounds like a great way to get
the job done. That's assuming I understand your goals for this vehicle.

I did something very similar for my exhaust valves. I wanted to radius the margin, so I put them in a
drill and used that against the grinder with a Unitized Wheel.

 

[55C150]

For the kind of vehicle you are restoring and the goals you have, that sounds like a great way to get
the job done. That's assuming I understand your goals for this vehicle.

I did something very similar for my exhaust valves. I wanted to radius the margin, so I put them in a
drill and used that against the grinder with a Unitized Wheel.

View attachment 11228

I want to do the margin thing to the valves too. Thats my next step.
Another thing is, on the top of Valve is a GM marking that is highlighted. It is better to grind it away? So I have a smooth surface.

Would make it sense to change the shape of the stock valves?

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

I want to do the margin thing to the valves too. Thats my next step.
Another thing is, on the top of Valve is a GM marking that is highlighted. It is better to grind it away? So I have a smooth surface.

Would make it sense to change the shape of the stock valves?

I Would not get too Crazy doing race port work and Full Radius valvejob on the Buick V8 300.
Known to be a Cruiser engine.
Ports are small for velocity and ease of driving.
If it was a Buick 425 ci V8 with dual quads or a Buick Stage 1 455 time spent doing Race port and race valvejob would be worthwhile.

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

Any pits in the exhaust seats and valve face need professional valvegrind equipment to freshen new or a Sunnen head machine cutter used.
Lapping in till pits are gone will destroy seat and valve face angles and concentricity.

 

[Indycars]

Another thing is, on the top of Valve is a GM marking that is highlighted. It is better to grind it away? So I have a smooth surface.

Would make it sense to change the shape of the stock valves?

Removing the GM marking would be marginally helpful with carbon accumulation.

What change are you thinking about for the valve shape?

 

[55C150]

Here you can see the markings on the valves

Before cleaning

After ckeaning

For the shape, I looked at my SBC Manley valves and thought to make the valves a bit thinner

 

[Grumpy]

soaking the valves in a glass jar of carburetor cleaner over night tends to help make crud removal far easier

https://carcaretotal.com/best-carb-cleaners/#1_Berryman_Chem-Dip_Immersion_Carb_Cleaner

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

Here you can see the markings on the valves

Before cleaning

After ckeaning

For the shape, I looked at my SBC Manley valves and thought to make the valves a bit thinner

These are 2 - piece made valves in the Buick 300 V8.
Nearly all GM Valves were.
Success of a Performance engine is the Valves used itself.

The Pinnacle evolution & deign implemented was in the 1967-1969 L88, Chrysler 426 Hemi V8, & Pontiac RAIV.
Pontiac RAIV Used High Tulip Shaped Valves & fully swirl polished backside & stems just like a Chrysler Hemi.

L88 setup for Can Am Racing & Drag Racing had Titanium Valves made by TRW Installed.

The Buick 300 V8 has a 2- bbl intake & Rochestor 2 GC.

A Pontiac Tripower 1957-1965 flows 780 cfm total with its 3x2 layout.
A 1966 Pontiac Tripower & Olds 442 Tripower W30 both flow 800 cfm total 3x2.

Too risky messing around with stock low Hp cruiser valves.
Risk them failing premature.

You Want Manley Racing Valves or Manley Titanium.
Ferrea Super Alloy Valves or Ferrea Titanium.
Del West Titanium.

Its a 2bbl 300 V8.

Not a Pontiac RAIV or L88 BBC. Only 2 GM engines production capable of taking on the Dodge Death Bullet at 1,000 HP.

 

[Indycars]

For the shape, I looked at my SBC Manley valves and thought to make the valves a bit thinner

Not sure where you are talking about making the valve thinner, but it doesn't sound like a good idea. It will
be expensive if a valve fails.

I assumed the markings would be on the combustion chamber side and not the port side. It really depends
on your goals here as to whether it's worth the time and effort. I thought you were after something that is
nice and fun to drive, not really a performance vehicle.

 

[55C150]

Thats right, it is a fun drive. But I want to test and learn some things on a not so expensive part like the Buick 300. If the 300 fails we can put the spare engine in or go with a Rover V8 I can get from a friend.

I did this now to the valves. I only removed the marks and smoothed it with sandpaper in the end.

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

Stock engine valves in Musclecars era were not that good.
Made from 21-4N steel I recall.

1973 Pontiac Super Duty 455 limited production engine was the very 1st to get high quality valves. Exhaust side was Inconel 751.

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

Foo Man Choo.

Still done by all OEM's.....

Always want the best Valves you can afford.
You always want the best connecting rods you can afford.

 

[Indycars]

Thats right, it is a fun drive. But I want to test and learn some things on a not so expensive part like the Buick 300. If the 300 fails we can put the spare engine in or go with a Rover V8 I can get from a friend.

I did this now to the valves. I only removed the marks and smoothed it with sandpaper in the end.

Well then you got nothing to loose essentially, experiment and have fun while learning !!!

Can't hurt the valve by smoothing, but I thought you had something more devious in mind ...... like
thinning the valve stem where it extends into the port??? Be careful if this is what's on your mind.

 

[55C150]

I started cleaning the heads, it is work in progress.
I'm waiting for the header flange to port match these two parts.
Maybe I will do a port match on the intake side too.
There was much carbon everywhere and you can see some very small rough spots.

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

The Buick 300 V8 heads appear to be in good shape.
With an engine that is 50 some years old its a good idea to have the cylinder heads resurfaced.
Valvejob also if in the budget.
Highly recommend both.

I read recent the Modern LS engine is based alot off of the Buick V6 231 and that Buick engine gets its roots from the Buick 300 V8.
It was in a closed Pontiac V8 Race group 8 am in the discussion came up.

 

[55C150]

When I finish my work, I will bring the heads to someone who can check and blueprint the heads. Maybe I can get a little bit more compression after milling. But first I have to measure the valve to piston clearence.

 

[55C150]

Intake port matching