330 Valve Job

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treue
Posts: 141
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2002 8:49 am
Location: Oklahoma

330 Valve Job

Post by treue »

Hi Tom (Yang):

If you will recall, the engine on my 330 2+2 (SN 9129) dropped a valve in the No. 4 cylinder, damaging the combustion chamber, valve seats and guides. (It also slightly damaged its neighbor, No. 3, via the intake manifold. I haven't inspected Nos. 9 and 10 which may also have minor damage.) I found a reputable shop near here (eastern OK), Jim Lewis (Vian, OK, (918) 773-8075) to do the machine work on the entire engine. Jim reported that the damage was easily repaired including replacement of the seats with custom parts. I ordered a complete set of new valves from Manley which should be here soon. I found a place in Pacifica CA, Kibblewhite Precision Machining (www.blackdiamondvalves.com, (650)359-4704)), that not only markets the teflon valve seals that are currently on my engine, but also can custom manufacture valve guides. I will keep you updated on the project.

Tom Treue
Michael Bayer
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Post by Michael Bayer »

How many miles on the engine/valve adjust? Have you figured out what caused the valve to drop? I am wondering if there are any cautions in this for the rest of us??
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treue
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Post by treue »

Mike:

From historical data, it appears there was about 1000 miles on the overhaul when the valve went. Appearance of the various parts (scratching on the two removed pistons and color of the valve guides) is consistent with this figure. The valves appear to be original. Bob Nicholson at Manley said the valves (I sent him as samples to copy for the new valves) were titanium (produced pink sparks when bead blasted) with a hard wear cap. In addition to the two valves that were destroyed in No. 4 cylinder, No. 6 intake lost its little wear cap which is just pressed into a hole in the end of the valve stem. I wonder if the cam is hot enough to make the red line a true danger zone. The marks on the top of the No. 4 piston seem to be more consistent with valve disintegration than over-speed of the engine, though. The set of Manley stainless steel valves that I bought are absolutely one-piece with a hardened tip.

Tom Treue
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tyang
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Post by tyang »

Hi Tom (Treue),

I don't think Ferrari used Titanium valves for their road cars in that era. The valves I've seen come out of original engines were all one piece without caps.

Tom
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treue
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Post by treue »

Hi Tom (Yang):

I will have to take your word on that (After all, how many experts are there on vintage Ferrari engine valves?). It's all academic, anyway since the Manley valves arrived last week. They look great. I took them to my machine shop in Vian, OK (Jim Lewis). The shop was small but looked competent. One technician was checking the rate of each spring in a V-8 head with a very accurate-looking machine. He said if a spring was out of spec, they add shims to bring it into spec. Jim has a computer-controlled and monitored dynamometer that he is quite proud of.

I nearly have the left (good) head off. I had to make a set of plates, ala Johnathan Brent, that have two pins bearing against the end of the head studs and use the rocker arm studs to do the pushing. They beat oak wedges and hammering. As soon as I get it off, I will take it up to Jim for a valve job. Then I will turn to the block. Jim says the liner of the bad cylinder is probably cracked; we'll see.

Happy Holidays
Tom Treue
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tyang
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Post by tyang »

Hi Tom (Treue),

The head pulling plate is definitely better than hammering wedges. That method may work if it's to release a stuck head gasket, but with the Ferrari head, it's the corrosion on the studs that's holding everything together. Many people find themselves going almost all the way to the top of the studs to get the heads off!

Good Luck.

Tom
David Smith
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Location: Valparaiso, IN

Post by David Smith »

I also agree with the cylinder head removing plate. I had one made for my engine and still had to fight the heads all the way to the top of the studs. I don't think there would have been an easier way to get the heads off. You just have to watch the alignment as the head comes up off the block in order to keep it coming even.
JonBrent
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Post by JonBrent »

Tom (Treue),

I'm glad my head pulling saga helped someone else out. Tom and David are absolutely right about the stud corrosion holding everything together - I too had to fight them all the way to the end of the studs before each came off. Each of mine also came up unevenly too.

Good Luck - keep us posted.

Jonathon
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treue
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Location: Oklahoma

Post by treue »

Guys:

Left (good) head is off :D . I used four 1/2" steel plates for my head removers. After the head was clear of the deck (1/4") I went to just two plates. As foretold, the head fought me all the way to the end of the studs. No damage from my oak wedges. Only one tiny ding in one combustion chamber opposite the two damaged in the right bank. One cylinder (no. 7 or 12) had some porosity (2-3 cubic mm) right on the band that contacts the top of the liner. My shop will talk to the head welder about the need to repair this porosity. Exhaust ports have some porosity (which explains presence of red RTV) which shop will plane clean.

What a rip about Tom's domain. It seems like every era has its megalomaniacs and pirates.

Thank you for your support,
Tom Treue
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