Titanium Valves

when ordering a set of titanium intake valves to replace the stock SS ones (TFS 2.350) do you have to do anything but install them? heads have never been ran...

my street car ,my "67 Mustang GTA with MR 427 sideoiler has had Ti valves in it for over 20 years!! When I started to get scared of the Hollow stem stainless and the stainless hollow stem sodium filler exhaust valves as they'd been in the motor 22years of extreme abuse!(1990)
Frank

138 wrote:when ordering a set of titanium intake valves to replace the stock SS ones (TFS 2.350) do you have to do anything but install them? heads have never been ran...

Yes and no. The no part first. When ordering titanium valves in order to replace stainless steel valves, they can't be the exact same dimensions. For example, if your TFS 2.350" intake valve 5.750" with a .250" tip,,,,,you will want to add about .010 to .015" to that margin thickness and then add .040" to the tip length for a new tip length of .290". So a new titanium valve to replace 5.750" long valve, now becomes 5.800" long.

The reason that you add tip length is for the hardened stellite tip that is installed. You do not want a stress riser running from the post hole of the tip over to the keeper groove.

Also, with tianium valves nowadays, we also use a radial or "Bead-Loc" groove, instead of a square cornered traditional keeper groove.

So, yes, you can replace yourstainless steel valve with a titanium valve of proper dimensions, (normally about +.050" longer). A the same time you will need to replace you 10* locks/keepers which have a square cronered groove, with radial groove locks, such as Manley "Bead-Locs".

Hope this helps,

Charlie Evans

yes that helps...thanks once again.

bump for a great read

Darin wrote:

richter69 wrote:You can buy a shyt load of stainless valves and springs for what the tit valves cost lol.

I agree but every one looks at the cost of acquisition instead of the cost per run. We do cost analysis studies on how long the engine last and what the cost of each run will be for the customer. Ti valves are cheaper in the long run. You can spend $1500 now and get Ti valves and it will save you three time that in the long run.

The cost per run is far more important than the initial cost of acquisition.

If I have a street/strip engine which I drive a lot and expect an engine lasting at least 20,000 street miles, I would NOT even think about using titanium valves in that engine.

If you think you will get $2,000.00 savings across the rest of the valve train with THAT kind of engine, I think you are mistaken. The valve springs lose almost NOTHING in tension after that amount of time with a common street/strip camshaft. Not to mention the cost of replacing them after the stems wear or seat cupping; coated or not.

A titanium valve is NOT the best solution for EVERY application.