I haven't posted to the forum for quite awhile, but was very interested in this thread. In 1980 I worked at the Bug Haus in Seattle where one could buy a 1600 dual port long block for $369.00 exchange. We sold over 365 engines a year, and each one of them had sodium filled exhaust valves, three angle valve grinds, and the valves HAD to rotate in the guides, which were a bronze/silicone alloy. My job was to pull the engine, dismantle and inspect it, clean all the parts, sandblast the heads, intake valves and valve covers, press out the valve guides, paint the engine tin and valve covers. The owners did the easy work- one assembled the rebuilds, and the other did all the machining. If one of them was absent, then I got to cover for them. My favorite job was running the mill machine, especially fly-cutting heads, but I learned the most about physics from grinding the valves and seats. Heat transfer is the key to long-lasting heads, and the grind and rotation of the valves are the key to heat transfer. I had to throw in my two cents, as reading this thread brought back good memories. Have fun, Neal Neal Barrentine Bloomington, Indiana 1986 GL 1960 Baja Bug |
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