Valve Guide Replacement

Good to hear man.

Good on ya for doing it yourself.
That's one thing that I don't think I'd want to tackle.

How's it running,btw?

Runs good, took awhile to burn all of the 20-50 out of the cylinders and header from the old guides.

APE Jay wrote:

I assume you remachined the seats after installing the guides.

As for removing guides; as someone stated, blast the noses so there is absolutly no carbon on them. If the guide is iron, heat the head and drive them out. If guides are bronze, or oem Z1 brass, don't heat the head.

We install all guides cold and in a press with special fixtures. We never pound on a new guide.

A sunnen guide hone finishes it up, ready for the Serdi.

Jay

What about the grease?

Failing to mention small but important details: When one passes on information that is not correct or is incomplete. Without grease a guide can take it's own channel into a head and this channel is most likely not a straight channel. I was told by an employee from a very reputable race parts company that my stock valves would fit into the guides they sold. I specifically asked if he were to take one from their shelf "would it fit"? It turned out the company had them smaller so racers could hone to fit, and therefore my valves did not fit. I was not prepared for this and eventually ruined the guides trying to hone them once compressed into the head. I called the company and was practically laughed at. I was treated rudely, and like I was just someone who did not know what they were doing. That it was almost insane of me to ask if the guides were to be replaced since I was assured they would fit my valves. I do believe I should have dealt with the problem in the proper manner, using the proper tools. I believe this problem would have been avoided if the proper and complete information was given to me upon simply asking. I bought a new set from another company that were made by the company I spoke of. These guides were not undersized and I had no problems installing and honing them. This happened 4yrs ago, I'll never forget the way I was treated by the employee that day. My name apparently was not on the go fast list...on the other hand:woohoo: got the bike running. After zooming around the professionals:blink:

How much cutting did the seats require?

Careful prep of both the head and guides & lots of good lube will generally get the guide home in pretty good order. Never, and I mean NEVER are they perfectly straight to the seat. Close sometimes...but not where they should be.

I don't care if they were tapped, pressed, smashed or bashed :lol: The seats need to be cut after the guides are installed...

If the valve job is really shot, don't even waste your time trying to cut a new 45 over the old one.

If you don't have an expensive valve seat machine, you could do it this way.

Run a 60 in there and see where it cuts first to determine how far out things are, then wipe out the old 45 with a 30 or 35 [depends on what you're after], then cut the 45 seat on fresh. Finish locating the seat with your inside / outside angle cutters until you're satisfied.

With Neway had cutters, watch it! They'll follow a crooked seat all day long if you just run a 45 on top of a whipped 45. It's real easy to rock the cutter and get it cutting off center..

If you can't get the valve to seat, no matter what you do, the problem can sometimes be the guide is bent from hammering it in too hard. I've see that with heads that other guys install the guides in and then want a valve job done.

Every guide I install get's polished with 1000Grit paper before it goes in the head.

Best thing you can do to finish up is get OEM valve seals if it's a street motor. They'll out last all the aftermarket crap by a good long while. Worth the extra cost IMO

Larry C

Of course you use assembly lube / anti seize whenever you press one metal thing into another one, unless you are using Locktite. Didn't think it was necessary to add that.

As for the guide fit, there are about 6 companies making stainless valves, 2 or 3 asian replacement valves, plus KZ650 thru GPZ1100 oem valves, one can be using. Not all of these valves are exactly the same size. It took quite a while to fine tune the guide sizes to that our guides could be used with all of the above. Some will require light honing. That is why we also sell the hones. I think we have been thru this before.


Larry is correct, it is impossible to install a valve guide and get it perfectly straight and get away without cutting the seats. Also, the Neway cutters will want to bend the pilot and follow the old seat.

One of the local shops has the Neway with the motor drive. He does all of his valve jobs with it, UNLESS it needs guides. Then he sends it to us to do the seats.

Jay,

I never have problems with your guides! I install them with the head and guides at room temp. They go in nice-n-easy and then hone to size for the stems. What more can anyone ask for?

I wish you'd offer them in iron as well.

Larry C