When are titanium valves needed

When would you suggest using Titanium Valves?
Is there an RPM limit?
I typically shift at 6800 and rarely take my engine to 7400.

Movemonger wrote:When would you suggest using Titanium Valves?
Is there an RPM limit?
I typically shift at 6800 and rarely take my engine to 7400.

Well, there is no specific RPM upper level as there are a lot of other things to be considered.
Titanium valves, or anything to lighten the valve train, will require less valve spring for any certain RPM.
When you reach an upper RPM level that even an abundance of valve spring force will still not control the valve train, then you have to lighten it up somehow.

For your average drag raced big block build with an .800" roller cam I would think that 7,500 rpm is a conservative limit knowing that others may go to 8,000.
Valve train stability from shaft rockers, pushrod flexing, titanium retainers will move the limits. If you are using stud rockers I suggest going to shaft rockers before changing the valves.
Also most important will be changing the intakes to titanium over the exhaust. Weight reduction is around 30%. Some say 25hp gains at 7,500 rpm for the intake valve change alone.

FYI- I have no personal experience with titanium valves. I will always stay below the titanium rpm requirements while trying to understand the limitations with stainless valves.

I use the 7 number . .700 lift and 7,000 rpm on a valve over 2.050 in diameter OR over 100 grams in weight. Not AS important on flat tappet cams as they are with rollers. I've been using titanium valves since '75 , and they are grerat but not "bullet proof". I run Stainless on street stuff and stock valves when it doesn't matter. A 4,000 rpm pickup truck doesn't need a back cut pro flow valve.