I'm taking my 322 nailhead to the machine shop tomorrow. I've looked around the site and all I have found is that I do NOT want hardened valve seats. What other things should I be considering when discussing it with the guy at the shop? Valve size? overbore? Anything in particular I should know? What should I tell them I want specifically? I just want a basic strong runner in the end. This is my first nailhead build so I want to start it off on the right foot if possible. Any advice you guys can give would be greatly appreciated.
I have a 322 in my Touring, so I also will be interested in the responses. I am curious, though, as to why you will not be using hardened valve seats.
Get thyself to the Buicks sites. http://www.v8buick.com/forumdisplay.php?f=9 http://www.buickperformance.com/page1.htm http://teambuick.com/
I understand that the nailhead blocks & heads were cast in a material with a higher nickel content and that they do not require the hardened seats. I have not found the reason for not having them other than wasteful but it seems I read somewhere that it can have a negative effect on nailheads.
Correct, due to nickel content, nails don't really need hardened seats. Also, the water jacket is very close to the valve pockets, you can easily hit it if you're not careful, then you have ruined heads.
STOP RIGHT NOW! Before ANYONE touches your heads talk to this guy. http://www.gesslerheadporting.com/ Seriously worth sending your heads to him (I hear he gives great head), I'm doing that and I'm all the way over here in Australia. Guarantee there is no better Nailhead head builder. Doc. PS, great links supplied by Hotrod1940!
Don't worry about changing valve sizes, and only bore it as little as you need. You should be good. Nothing to it really. Between the high nickel content and the relatively low spring pressure they don't need them, as well as the water jacket being way close to the seat, the majority of the time they will cut into the water jacket and ruin the head. He's good with porting heads, but there is nothing magic about rebuilding a head. Big difference there Doc, and he's way overpirced for rebuilding them. Sorry. Good deals on porting but if it's only a rebuild for a runner it's wasted money.
I think I missed the 'basic strong runner' bit, I see Nailhead an the 'red mist' comes down! Cant say I have ever thought of stock rebuilds without porting on a Nailhead before.
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