H head rebuild

Jim Paterson · Jul 27, 2011

My auto parts store machinist said that to rebuild my 1944 H head that I would need to provide him with valve guides and seats. I've checked the parts on this site and can find guides, but I see no mention of valve seats. Can any of you provide me with information on this or a source to get valve seats?

Thanks

rustred · Jul 27, 2011

i avoid those kind of machinists. they know little about the old stuff and most dont even want to work on it. a machinist with experience has no problem at all getting the required repair. thats my food for thought.

rustred · Jul 27, 2011

i avoid those kind of machinists. they know little about the old stuff and most dont even want to work on it. a machinist with experience has no problem at all getting the required repair. thats my food for thought.

rhtx55 · Jul 27, 2011

More modern engines ( which I am sure he is most used to) have replaceable stellite seats on the exhaust valves, if the seats are shot in your present head, they can be milled out for these replacement inserts.
The guides are certainly replaceable but the factory head came with the "seats" as part of the head casting, normally, they just need to be 'ground" with a standard seat grinding machine to match the profile on the valves.
You may want to call around locally & find someone more familiar with how to fix the valves on your tractor.

sflem849 · Jul 27, 2011

You need to find a new machine shop. All the stuff they said is dead on. Sounds like he doesn't even want to try (or know what he is looking at or he would know they aren't replaceable seats)

I have been VERY happy with Pake's Engine and Machine in Janesville, WI if you are close to this area. Bob is an antique tractor buff so that doesn't hurt. He is like us, he loves to see this old stuff still going and loves a challenge. He also realizes you can't spend $2000 on a head job for a tractor that is worth $1500 if restored.

BillyinStoughton · Jul 27, 2011

Pake's is the place! I had the head done on one of my H's not that long ago down there.

You might as well keep truckin' down the road and take it to Rock City, IL for a run on the dyno too!

pete 23 · Jul 27, 2011

No reason a parts store machinest can't pull out a catalog and order almost any size and type of material seat he wants. Holy cow, I had to cut the heads with a hand operated K O Lee valve seat cutter for years because there was no machinist in the area and in those days no one drove 30- 40 miles to get a head done. Now days, no one would even consider doing it without power operated tools. Also used R12 refrigerant to chill the seats for installation which of course would get you jail time now days.

rustyfarmall · Jul 28, 2011

(quoted from post at 14:26:29 07/27/11) My auto parts store machinist said that to rebuild my 1944 H head that I would need to provide him with valve guides and seats. I've checked the parts on this site and can find guides, but I see no mention of valve seats. Can any of you provide me with information on this or a source to get valve seats?

Thanks

Any automotive machine shop that is worth their salt will PREFER to supply everything needed from their own suppliers, and usually it will end up costing YOU even less for the parts.

Jim Paterson · Jul 28, 2011

I found a shop today that will do it for $90 and has done work on numerous Farmall tractors.

rustred · Jul 28, 2011

impossible to soak, clean , magnaflux, plane, install guides and seats and grind valves and seats , check springs and assemble for that kind of money. 90.00 sounds right just for the valve and seat grinding, by the time your ready to walk out the door 400.00 - 500.00 sounds more realistic. i'd a him more questions.

rustyfarmall · Jul 28, 2011

(quoted from post at 09:20:24 07/28/11) impossible to soak, clean , magnaflux, plane, install guides and seats and grind valves and seats , check springs and assemble for that kind of money. 90.00 sounds right just for the valve and seat grinding, by the time your ready to walk out the door 400.00 - 500.00 sounds more realistic. i'd a him more questions.

Just about 2 months ago I took 2 Farmall H heads to the machine shop. Both heads needed planing, both heads needed all new valve seats, and both heads needed hot tanking. The guides were good to go in both heads, so those were not replaced, and I already had the new valves, springs, and keepers, which I installed. Total cost for both heads was $540, or $220 per head.

H head rebuild

Jim Paterson

Member

rustred

Well-known Member

rustred

Well-known Member

rhtx55

Member

sflem849

Well-known Member

BillyinStoughton

Member

pete 23

Well-known Member

rustyfarmall

Well-known Member

Jim Paterson

Member

rustred

Well-known Member

rustyfarmall

Well-known Member

Similar threads