Removing valve seats

RedRacer · Post by **RedRacer** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 6:18 pm

This new (to us) 4.6L ford project means tooling up in a new direction, and many of you have already done so for alot of years I would imagine. This little motor melted a piston and the schrapnal has chunked out a small piece of the valve seat. So here I sit with a couple of questions. What is the best way to remove one seat in an aluminum head, and what seat would be the best to replace it with? This is a street car, daily driver with a centrifugal blower, 8 psi boost. Looking at the 30000 series Durabond seats... need help for an old guy in a new world!
Red

SupStk · Post by **SupStk** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 2:45 am

I haven't done 4.6 seats yet but two of my favorite methods are:

1. Cut the seat out using the cutter set a few thou smaller than the seat OD. This works best if the guides are still in good condition.

2. Weld a bead to the seat. usually they just fall out after cooling. Thick seats or other difficult ones usually come after welding a softplug in and popping it out with a drift going though the guide. Anytime putting heat to an aluminum head make sure guides and seats didn't loosen.

Ape · Post by **Ape** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:53 am

basically thats very similar to how i do it:

usually thats how i do it to aluminum motorcycle heads.
i cut 4 90° apart slots in the seat rings and weld a bead abova em, usually they shrink enough that either they fall out or can easily be tweaked out with a screwdriver.

RMFheaders · Post by **RMFheaders** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 5:33 am

Same here ,I just take stainless rod and weld a bead all the way around the seat where the valve sits and just turn it over.You'll hear em hit the bench.

RedRacer · Post by **RedRacer** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 10:21 am

Great info, thanks all. Are you guys using a tig to weld?

SupStk · Post by **SupStk** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 10:50 am

I just use my MIG, quick, clean and easy.