I'm up here in the rural, hick, cold, unpopulated part of Michigan. I'm working on a 6cyl flathead that has maybe 3,000 miles on it but needs the valves touched up. The seats need to be touched up with a stone as the baffles in the muffler collapsed causing valve burning. Much to my suprise, there isn't really any professional shops around here that will touch up the seats without wanting me to gut the block first(they are either chevy 350 shops or machine shop service).. Can anybody reccommend anybody somewhere in Michigan that can touch up the seats? I get down by detroit from time to time. I really don't want to leave my whole engine with a machine shop service to be sent who knows where. It's intresting how 50 years ago that many small service stations had their own valve grinding equipment, but now it's a "speciality" in this area of shit-box cars and throw-out shit. If I could find my self my own valve grinding & refacing tools I'd buy them in a heart-beat as they would pay for themselfs within a few jobs. (any leads, guys?)
Bought my own valve and seat grinding setup just for that very reason. I spent some money---but saved a BUNCH more than I spent. I might be able to help you out. shoot me a PM
Go with Sioux. I've used Snap-on, K.O.Lee, Black&Decker - they are all inferior to Sioux. GOODSON at Winona, Minnesota have an excellent supply of stones, mandrels, pilots etc. for many popular machines in the automotive machine-shop industry. Excellent people to deal with - excellent service. Ask for their catalog, you will be impressed, no junk here. I recommend every serious rodder learn how to do their own head work. Many good books on the subjectavid Vizard is a hands-on automotive writer - "Power with Economy" and "How to build and modify Chevrolet small-block V-8 Cylinder Heads" are two very good books to get you started and keep you going. IT IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING WHEN YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF THE OUTCOME! I have encountered way too many botched "valve jobs" in my 40 years of mechanicking. Chrysler did not even follow their own engineering blueprints as far as valve face-to-seat location on their 426 Hemi! Face-to-seat locations on Targetmaster GMs are a mess! Far too many so-called engine rebuilders don't understand what has to occur and don't get it right. When you find one of these older guys who TRULY understand this stuff, treat him well, and you will learn lots. They are out there, just gotta find 'em.
I think you could probably get away with lapping the valves to get a fresh seat since it has low miles. But if ya want to do a real DIY valve job, this is what I've been doing since the 80's. I cut my valves in my lathe, but you could use the tool that this company sells, also. And I use these seat cutters to do the seats. I got enough of this stuff by now to be able to do 3 or 4 cuts on seats, but you really only need one cutter to do one angle for a simple repair job. Neway Manufacturing of Corunna MI. www.newaymfg.com 1-800-248-3889 or 1-989-743-3458 There cutters make the seats like jewlery. I've had pro engine builders tell me that grinding is the best and that machinging the seats don't last, that's bullshit. I got one engine running still with over 100,000 miles on the heads I did with the first cutters I bought. I've used them on race engines and street engines. And I just have the manual cutter ones, not the fancy powered set up. And there is no grinding mess, you could do these on that flathead without dissasembing. The cutters pilot in the valve guide. and the small amount of chips will fall in the bowl and you could vacuum or blow out with air. Look into this, michiganman, it's the best. Frank
NEWAY is the answer. You buy the cutter and mandral and away you go. They do a great job and it very easy. I lap the valve in with compound just to "prove" the seal.