Valve Guides

[marksuxass]

which have you/would you use?

[The Dan]

which have you/would you use?

custom made cast iron ones.

Don't ever use bronze of any kind unless you want to keep replacing them every 3 months on a street car.

Bronze are rubbish and were only introduced in a time when materials were scarce and machining tolerances were much sloppier. Since then, most people forgot why they invented them and continued to use them due to their own made up reasons. Mercedes have recently changed back (after introducing them in the first place) to cast iron because they have finally seen the light and listened to the experts that were telling them for years.

[snozzle]

so what about these?

http://www.importperformanceparts.net/imports/supertech-valveguides.html

running them in a friends car for the past year and he doesnt have any issues at all

Edited March 14, 2011 by snozzle

[The Dan]

so what about these?

http://www.importperformanceparts.net/imports/supertech-valveguides.html

running them in a friends car for the past year and he doesnt have any issues at all

So you've pulled the head off and checked the guide clearance?

[marksuxass]

So all the phospurus bronze ones are utter cheese too?

[The Dan]

So all the phospurus bronze ones are utter cheese too?

We have tried them all. Guide clearance after a few track days is usually a couple of thou larger at that point. On the street cars I have disassembled engines for. The one that was fitted with phosphorous bronze were better than the old style bronze guides but were still over clearance after only being built (by another workshop) within the last 12 months.

We recently pulled our race engine apart from the GTR which had cast iron guides made by our engineer, Chilton Engineering in Woolloongabba, and after 2.5 years of continuous racing, the guid clearance is still perfect.

Nissan use cast iron guides in all their engines from factory but usually after 10-15 years they are a thou or two over clearance on the exhaust side so we normally knock them out and have them redone

[The Dan]

I have yet to see how the supertech Manganese Bronze guides perform but I'm sure we'll find out soon enough. The fact is, there is absolutely NO REASON to use anything bronze for guides.

[marksuxass]

ok thanks for that. so you cannot purchase iron guides from anywhere? i spose they wouldnt be that hard to manufacture

[The Dan]

ok thanks for that. so you cannot purchase iron guides from anywhere? i spose they wouldnt be that hard to manufacture

We buy them from the engineer as blanks and he cuts them to size.

Chilton Engineering - 07 3391 1672

[ahh 33 s2]

reading this makes me sad, just put tomie bronze in my head, oooohhhhhhhhhhhh

[The Dan]

reading this makes me sad, just put tomie bronze in my head, oooohhhhhhhhhhhh

See how you go I guess.

I don't recall any guides getting to the point where they made stem seals leak or caused any other alignment issues.

If you get valve stem seal leaks 12 months down the track, check that first

[marksuxass]

i was going to put tomei's in mine too. I Think i still might go ahead with it

[Beer Baron]

i've had no real problems with tomei valve guides. they do wear, i mean they are a head service item after all but it's not alarmingly fast. think of them a bit like a bearing. there is friction between the valve stem and the valve guide. something has to wear. either the valve stem or the guide.... there is oil there to lubricate so not a huge amount of wear but over time they need replacing.

[marksuxass]

How long could you say they would last?

[PM-R33]

I just put brand new Nissan ones in. Pretty cheap.

[Buraz]

How much were the Nissan ones mate?

[PM-R33]

Honestly don't remember the exact price, was a while back. Got them from overseas. Like under $300 from memory.

[Buraz]

Thanks mate, I'll look into it and call Nissan or something.

Cheers

[R32 Driver]

Honestly don't remember the exact price, was a while back. Got them from overseas. Like under $300 from memory.

That is pretty cheap! When i got quoted from Nissan they were closer to $900

thus opting for aftermarket ones

[bigmikespec]

I have yet to see how the supertech Manganese Bronze guides perform but I'm sure we'll find out soon enough. The fact is, there is absolutely NO REASON to use anything bronze for guides.

What about for heat transfer pulling heat away from the valve stem?

I am doing some research myself to find out what are the ideal guides to use for my Ferrea Comp. Plus valves (+1.0mm); I have asked Ferrea directly what they would recommend so will report back.