re: new scout 800 owner

[bearbvd@domain.elided (Greg Hermann)]

>
>I know that my engine probably doesn't have the hardened valve seats,

I have NEVER seen a Binder engine that did NOT have hard, replaceable seats
for the exhaust valves, and only a few , later model year engines that did
not ALSO have seats for the intakes!!

These engines will run on propane, let alone unleaded gasoline, without
hurting the valves.

Plus, have never seen a small block V-8 Binder (266/304/345/392) that did
not have exhaust valves with stellite facing on the seat area, sodium in
the stems, hard chrome on the stems, and inconel heads.

It is VERY hard to hurt the valves in these engines, virtually impossible
in a light vehicle like a Scout! Generally, you can get the engine hot
enough to seize the pistons, break all of the rings, and crack the head
before you will burn a valve!

And--although they feel loose, the valve guides are that way from the
factory, when brand new. They do not wear much, if at all.

 When rebuilding a Binder, you can generally save your time and money--just
lap the valves lightly, clean things up, skim the head surface lightly if
needed to true it up, install new valve seals AND NEW VALVE SPRINGS, and
reassemble the head, and your heads will be ready for another 200K miles.

If some imbecile in a machine shop grinds very much at all off of the
seating face of a stellite faced valve, it will remove the facing, and the
valve will be nowhere near as durable as it would be if left alone.
(Although, the stellite will likely eat at the jerk's grinding stone
effectively enough to negate any possiblity of your getting a decently
round seating face on the valves, either!!)

For curious minds--stellite is an alloy of cobalt, tungsten and chromium,
and inconel is a high nickel content, heat resistant alloy.

Regards, Greg