Are used valve guides worth saving?

[700rpm]

I have several sets of used valve guides which I've replaced with new ones over the years. These are mostly originals, I believe, and I've kept them paired as they were in the engines. But is there any way to measure them to accurately tell if they are good enough to use or not? I keep anything that is original Model A, but maybe these aren't worth keeping. Same thing with valve springs and used valves. The springs I'm pretty sure I can toss, maybe the valves too? 55 years of accumulation of "stuff" is beginning to lose its appeal.

[Mike V. Florida]

My theory is that if I felt they were not good to continue to use I would get rid of them.

[Special Coupe Frank]

If the valves have ridges parallel to the stem, and / or no margin left to the head, I think they are no longer useful.

As for checking the guides, the easiest way I can think of would be to install them in a block, with a new or NOS valve, and check for sideways play.

Not sure which wears more: the valve stem or the guides...

If you had the time and inclination to check your stock, and keep maybe two complete sets of the best ?

I appreciate your quandary on saving original but possibly worn-out parts...

[Sunnybrook Farm]

You might have a good set of guides as they may have come from a 1950s rebuilt motor and only have a few thousand miles on them. I don't have a lot of money so I don't throw stuff like that away.

[Bob Bidonde]

The smart move is to convert a Model A / Model B motor to use modern stainless steel valves, guides and valve keepers.

Should the guides have wear, it is likely that motor oil will be sucked into the combustion chambers. I have seen caked motor oil collect under some valve heads to the extent that the valves no longer seated.

Used valve guides should not be reused in a foreign motor. Any wear oversize / out-of-round should disqualify reusing the guides. If the guides are reused in the motor they came from, the used guides should go back into the same valve locations.

I have kept a set of used OEM guides for show & tell.

[Joe K]

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Springs can be checked.

Probably should be for ALL springs, new or old.

Discussion previously about "weak" springs. https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=98834

Joe K

[Cool Hand Lurker]

Huh? Throw something away? ooooowwww, time to take my anti-seizure medication.........

You could try this:

[Patrick L.]

I too have a hard time throwing any old original stuff away. I have boxes of old valves and guides.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Any springs with rust pits aren't worth saving, but I'd use any good original springs. I'd also use good original valves and guides. I can see the valve margin is getting thin on the valves in my 28, and I'll be installing new valves, pistons, and rings when I overhaul it. For now I'll put the head back on and run it a while longer. I even cleaned and reused the copper head gasket on this engine, since it'll be getting an overhaul in the near future.

I save all unusable parts to make yard art. I've seen some neat things that people have made from junk parts.

[Tony S,Fl.]

Tom mentioned using a head gasket over again ? I had a 1948 15 C Citroen and used the head gasket over and over. Everyone said I was nuts But they weren't available back in the early 60's Can a model a head gasket be used more than once safely ? Tony

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Tony S,Fl.

Tom mentioned using a head gasket over again ? I had a 1948 15 C Citroen and used the head gasket over and over. Everyone said I was nuts But they weren't available back in the early 60's Can a model a head gasket be used more than once safely ? Tony

When I was 12 I pulled the head off my 1950 Studebaker field car so I could paint it silver. I didn't know anything about head torque or not reusing a head gasket, so after the paint dried I slapped it back together and it worked fine.

I wish I had taken a picture of this head gasket when I first removed the head because it looked like one I'd never attempt to reuse. Since I'll be overhauling this engine in a year or two I'll be the test pilot for reusing a nasty looking head gasket. After wire brushing all the junk off the gasket and spraying it with two coats of Copper Coat it looks pretty good, as the picture above shows.

When a gasket has metal on both sides I often feel safe in trying to reuse it if it looks OK. I only do this for my own engines though.

[Henry's Lady's Man]

I replaced all my guides, springs and valves. One set of split guides was too tight, so I matched up a used valve guide half with a new guide half. Seems to work fine... no problems (yet)?

[Jim Brierley]

I once bought new guides while I was doing an in-chassis valve grind. The new ones were foreign made and were looser than the ones I was taking out, so tossed them and re-used the old ones. I now use solid guides and modern valves, like Bob says. Keep springs only if the have good, consistent pressure and are straight, no rust, etc. Valves can be checked visually. I have one set of valves and guides that are junk but kept them as they are straight stem and solid guides from back-in-the-day, nice collector item.

[KR500]

I have had good luck by chucking used valve guides in a 5C collet and using a knurlizing tool which raises the metal up in the guide, and then reaming to 5/16 diameter. They may not last as long as new but they are original.

[George Miller]

I have put them in my lathe and reamed them to 11/32 for the modern valves. then you have the step for the valve spring. Some of the new guides for modern vales do not have the step. With out it you loose valve spring pressure.

[Jim Brierley]

George, How do you hold them in the lathe? Press them in something or ???

[George Miller]

Originally Posted by Jim Brierley

George, How do you hold them in the lathe? Press them in something or ???

I chuck a small 6 jaw chuck in the big chuck that is on the lathe. It works good. But you could use a collet, or make a pice that is the right size to hold and big enough on the OD to fit your chuck. You could also do them in a mill or drill press.

Also I know you know this but others might not. Make sure you keep them in the same pairs they were when you took them out. It is always good to not mix and mach parts that were machined together.

[H. L. Chauvin]

FWIW: Laws of Averages:

For some odd reason, every time I threw something away, or gave something away, I usually needed it in the very near immediate future.

After experiencing similar events in life over and over, I would feel very uncomfortable if I cancelled my home insurance policy.

[Jim Brierley]

Thanks George. I've been using Buick guides but, as you say, you lose some spring pressure and if you need spacers to get the pressure you want, the spacers are more difficult to make.

[George Miller]

Originally Posted by George Miller

I chuck a small 6 jaw chuck in the big chuck that is on the lathe. It works good. But you could use a collet, or make a pice that is the right size to hold and big enough on the OD to fit your chuck. You could also do them in a mill or drill press.

Also I know you know this but others might not. Make sure you keep them in the same pairs they were when you took them out. It is always good to not mix and mach parts that were machined together.

I should add. .032 is more than you should ream. Should be more like .015, but it will work if you go slow and easy using oil. But you could go with a drill first and leave .015 for the reamer if that makes you feel better.