Induction hardened valve seats? - Moparts Forums

Register Log In Moparts Forums Moparts Question and Answer Induction hardened valve seats?

Print Thread

Induction hardened valve seats? #1400171 03/10/13 01:02 PM 03/10/13 01:02 PM
Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 371 R Russ H. OP enthusiast
Russ H. OP enthusiast R Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 371	I recently took a set of 1969 small block X heads to a shop for inspection and re-conditioning. I was interested in having hardened seats installed but was told that the seats look to have been "induction hardened" and replacing them wasn't necessary. Could these seats have been induction hardened when new or is this something that was done later in their life? Russ

Re: Induction hardened valve seats? [Re: Russ H.] #1400172 03/10/13 01:08 PM 03/10/13 01:08 PM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska	I think the induction hardening came about in the ~73 model year, definitely not in 69 & that's a factory process that couldn't have been done later. They just dont want to do that procedure for fear of messing it up & they'd be liable live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: Induction hardened valve seats? [Re: Russ H.] #1400173 03/10/13 01:13 PM 03/10/13 01:13 PM
Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 343 S.E.Mich D drew72 enthusiast
drew72 enthusiast D Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 343 S.E.Mich	Induction hardening definitely was not done post manufacture. Someone just doesn't know what to look for. Not to mention induction hardening only goes about .015-.020" deep, so just one valve job may have cut through that surface. Best to just have hardened seats installed.

Re: Induction hardened valve seats? [Re: drew72] #1400174 03/10/13 02:12 PM 03/10/13 02:12 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 14,610 Not2farfromNashville, TN R Rug_Trucker I Live Here
Rug_Trucker I Live Here R Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 14,610 Not2farfromNashville, TN	Induction hardening for the 72 slants. SB's? No idea. I asked a machine shop once about doing hardened seats. They didn't want the liability. "The only thing to do for triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" "NUNQUAM NON PARATUS!"

Re: Induction hardened valve seats? [Re: drew72] #1400175 03/10/13 02:25 PM 03/10/13 02:25 PM
Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 371 R Russ H. OP enthusiast
Russ H. OP enthusiast R Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 371	This is very interesting. When I dropped the heads off, I told them that I wanted hardened valve seats installed. This issue was discussed again after the cleaning and inspection. The shop owner said that the valve seats were induction hardened as evidenced by a discoloration typical to induction hardening. There was very little if any wear in the seat area and that hardened seats were not needed. Did any of the later X heads receive the induction hardening? These are definitely X heads with 202 intake valves but I did not check the casting dates. The engines casting date is 9/11/68 and I assumed the heads are original to it but who knows. Russ

Re: Induction hardened valve seats? [Re: Russ H.] #1400176 03/10/13 02:45 PM 03/10/13 02:45 PM
Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 7,664 IN A ahy master
ahy master A Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 7,664 IN	Quote: but who knows. Russ Good chance heads were changed.

Re: Induction hardened valve seats? [Re: Russ H.] #1400177 03/11/13 01:49 AM 03/11/13 01:49 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 75,062 U.S.S.A. JohnRR I Win
JohnRR I Win Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 75,062 U.S.S.A.	He'll know if they are hardened when he hits the seats wit hthe stone to redo them. I had a set of 452's that had 1.81 exh valves put in them and when I was having them put together ... I bought them bare but they were fresh ... I was going to have the shop doing them put in hard seats , he cleaned up the VJ and said they didn't need seats as they were still in the factory induction hardened seat area . Maybe they seats area on the heads were flamed hardened after the fact ? There is a shop in maine that does that instead of adding hard seats ... so they say ... ???

Re: Induction hardened valve seats? [Re: JohnRR] #1400178 03/11/13 11:56 AM 03/11/13 11:56 AM
Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 371 R Russ H. OP enthusiast
Russ H. OP enthusiast R Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 371	Quote: He'll know if they are hardened when he hits the seats wit hthe stone to redo them. I had a set of 452's that had 1.81 exh valves put in them and when I was having them put together ... I bought them bare but they were fresh ... I was going to have the shop doing them put in hard seats , he cleaned up the VJ and said they didn't need seats as they were still in the factory induction hardened seat area . Maybe they seats area on the heads were flamed hardened after the fact ? There is a shop in maine that does that instead of adding hard seats ... so they say ... ??? John, Your comments about the flame hardening is exactly what I was told by the shop. The heads are done. I didn't pick them up yet so I didn't see an itemized bill. It seems odd to me that the shop would turn down the chance to install hardened seats after I told them I wanted it done. Russ

Re: Induction hardened valve seats? [Re: Russ H.] #1400179 03/11/13 04:08 PM 03/11/13 04:08 PM
Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 685 pennsylvania poboyengineering mopar
poboyengineering mopar Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 685 pennsylvania	Quote: Quote: He'll know if they are hardened when he hits the seats wit hthe stone to redo them. I had a set of 452's that had 1.81 exh valves put in them and when I was having them put together ... I bought them bare but they were fresh ... I was going to have the shop doing them put in hard seats , he cleaned up the VJ and said they didn't need seats as they were still in the factory induction hardened seat area . Maybe they seats area on the heads were flamed hardened after the fact ? There is a shop in maine that does that instead of adding hard seats ... so they say ... ??? John, Your comments about the flame hardening is exactly what I was told by the shop. The heads are done. I didn't pick them up yet so I didn't see an itemized bill. It seems odd to me that the shop would turn down the chance to install hardened seats after I told them I wanted it done. Russ sounds like you found the most honest machine shop on earth. most guys would take your money whether you needed the work or not. stick with this guy! It may be ugly, but it sure is slow. Girls comb their hair in rear view mirrors and the boys try to look so hard....

Moderated by Al_Alguire, Hotwheelsjr, moparts, not_a_charger, RangerDan440, tboomer

Hop To

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.1