valve lapping compound

[cerrajero]

I just started a DIY head rebuild. which was only going to be valve stem seals. But if you go that far you might as well right?
I went into the local mega super auto parts chain to get a valve spring compression tool and some lapping compound......

tool.....check

valve grinding compound.....well 5 employees at store and none knew what that was
ok....how about lapping compund? 1 employee started laughing and said "your in the wrong type of place for that"
so I left and went to NAPA. Even there the man behind the counter said he didnt know what it was.I tried to explain it and he told me that was a special order..........???????

ok now that the head is all torn apart and soaking overnight
Has anyone had any luck finding the 2 small can of compound , because obviously around here there is none to be found.

plus i will be posting pics of the head for suggestions #6 exhaust looks a little rough

 

[mtnwhlr]

I used Permatex valve grinding compound it comes in a tube and got it from the local Napa.

 

[tarry99]

I just started a DIY head rebuild. which was only going to be valve stem seals. But if you go that far you might as well right?
I went into the local mega super auto parts chain to get a valve spring compression tool and some lapping compound......

tool.....check

valve grinding compound.....well 5 employees at store and none knew what that was
ok....how about lapping compund? 1 employee started laughing and said "your in the wrong type of place for that"
so I left and went to NAPA. Even there the man behind the counter said he didnt know what it was.I tried to explain it and he told me that was a special order..........???????

ok now that the head is all torn apart and soaking overnight
Has anyone had any luck finding the 2 small can of compound , because obviously around here there is none to be found.

plus i will be posting pics of the head for suggestions #6 exhaust looks a little rough

You really think that lapping compound is going to do you any good to rebuild your heads? That is used just for a touch up , like when you already have good valves and seats and perhaps a little nick was found and you want to touch or clean it up...........not used for grinding valves or restoring seats.........take it to a machine shop and get a professional 3 angle valve job done.............

 

[cerrajero]

You really think that lapping compound is going to do you any good to rebuild your heads? That is used just for a touch up , like when you already have good valves and seats and perhaps a little nick was found and you want to touch or clean it up...........not used for grinding valves or restoring seats.........take it to a machine shop and get a professional 3 angle valve job done.............

[/QUOTE]

that's still a possibility
My 70 year old uncle restores classic chevys out of his home (40 years ). He has probably 75% of tools what the machine shop would have. I am taking the head to him for inspection ( at the least ). Plus he would know which machine shop is the better one to take it to.

the only thing wrong (that was noticeable ) was a puff of smoke from take off. suggested by uncle (and others) to replace stem seals.

but if she wasn't running as great as she is, then machine shop without question

 

[cerrajero]

I used Permatex valve grinding compound it comes in a tube and got it from the local Napa.

ha
funny that i found that on the part store website ( the one with the 5 clueless ones )
thanks going to call the part number in maybe they can figure it out from there
not the same as the 2 little green cans from the old days though, and $20 cheaper.

 

[tarry99]

You really think that lapping compound is going to do you any good to rebuild your heads? That is used just for a touch up , like when you already have good valves and seats and perhaps a little nick was found and you want to touch or clean it up...........not used for grinding valves or restoring seats.........take it to a machine shop and get a professional 3 angle valve job done.............

that's still a possibility
My 70 year old uncle restores classic chevys out of his home (40 years ). He has probably 75% of tools what the machine shop would have. I am taking the head to him for inspection ( at the least ). Plus he would know which machine shop is the better one to take it to.

the only thing wrong (that was noticeable ) was a puff of smoke from take off. suggested by uncle (and others) to replace stem seals.

but if she wasn't running as great as she is, then machine shop without question[/QUOTE]



Will I'm sure your Uncle is more than capable ..........and a puff of smoke could be almost anything like Rings, valves, valve seals, valve timing .......
Do yourself a favor and do a Compression Test first and then follow that up with a Leak Down test.......eliminates most of the guessing!

 

[cerrajero]

compression and leak down are done
got it written done in 1 of my 10 notebooks somewhere.

this is the next step

im not a master mechanic but can fake it
didnt know it until later in life what i had done but at the age of 6 i lapped valves and cleaned the head of a 1957 belair with my uncle
so he says i can do it at 44 on a jeep
maybe with his help or keys to his shop

 

[tarry99]

compression and leak down are done
got it written done in 1 of my 10 notebooks somewhere.

this is the next step

im not a master mechanic but can fake it
didnt know it until later in life what i had done but at the age of 6 i lapped valves and cleaned the head of a 1957 belair with my uncle
so he says i can do it at 44 on a jeep
maybe with his help or keys to his shop

Good luck on the valve lapping

 

[cerrajero]

thank you sir
everything soaking now
got the brass brush and scotch brite pads
ordered taper abrasives for dremel tool, and compound (here thursday)
checked availability on valve ...only 6 intake at warehouse at $9.50
exhaust valve next week ( if needed )

uncle said he would "blast it and coat it" for me.... i guess that means dipping it ????......as well as checking on my work........geez

 

[wondernad]

View attachment 17830
Did you decide what you are going to do with this? I found some valve lapping compound in my toolbox at work looks like this.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[cerrajero]

took it to my uncle.....he basically made a phone call to one of his friends.....and its getting done
Not sure when but when he told me $50 for his friend.......uh take your time


and if anyone tries this......take Tarry99's advice......
compound hard to find,valve stems nowadays are "universal" and must be "cut to fit" (at least the ones I got), brass brushes can be hard to find.....the rental tool was broken.......all kinds of problems

but
gotta love the 70 year old retired and bored to death master mechanics

 

[mtnwhlr]

gotta love the 70 year old retired and bored to death master mechanics

Everybody should have one on speed dial.

 

[cerrajero]

now this might be a reason for a new thread......


Uncle called and said that the head will be ready by the weekend......
then he asked if i was intending on replacing the rings while the head is off?????????
uh no the walls looks good, no lip on the walls, good compression before head rebuild, no signs of any liquid of any sort on pistons ??????

He said that SOMETIMES the older high mileage engines, that the higher compression from the rebuilt head has caused Blowby on the cylinders, which means another tear down , but this time for the rings and bearings


any one had this on the AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l ??

 

[mtnwhlr]

He said that SOMETIMES the older high mileage engines, that the higher compression from the rebuilt head has caused Blowby on the cylinders, which means another tear down , but this time for the rings and bearings


any one had this on the AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l ??

I have also heard of this, if you think the bottem end is good bolt the head on and see what happens it's not going to hurt the head any. Good luck.

 

[tarry99]

now this might be a reason for a new thread......


Uncle called and said that the head will be ready by the weekend......
then he asked if i was intending on replacing the rings while the head is off?????????
uh no the walls looks good, no lip on the walls, good compression before head rebuild, no signs of any liquid of any sort on pistons ??????

He said that SOMETIMES the older high mileage engines, that the higher compression from the rebuilt head has caused Blowby on the cylinders, which means another tear down , but this time for the rings and bearings


any one had this on the AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l ??

So did he grind the valves & seats or just lapped them?............

And there is really no way anyone can tell the condition of a cylinder by just looks. In the real world we will drop a bore gauge in there and check the roundness and also the taper in the cylinder.......

 

[cerrajero]

So did he grind the valves & seats or just lapped them?............

from what I understand, The man doing this has been doing my uncles 283 heads since the 80s. so i imagine that he would treat it the same as those.
(I hope)

will post a few pics when I get it