I have a chewed up valve stem tip, better than 1/2 of the surface area on the top that the rocker arm presses against is damaged. Picture at the bottom. About 1/4 of the flat area was untouched but I wouldn't expect it to run long like this. Evidently the locknut backed out and let the rocker wiggle around. Anyway, I'm running beehive springs with the 10 degree locks and beehive retainers. Wondering if there is a different retainer/valve lock combination that I could substitute here to keep from pulling the head. The lock portion of the valve stem is probably OK. it's just boogered up around the top. I was thinking that some of the locks that have a shim you drop in to adjust clearance might work here ( might need to change the length of the pushrod?) I don't look forward to pulling the head so if their was a work around that would not cause any issues with reliability I'd be all for it. I'm using the Comp Beehive retainers and + .050" 10 degree locks, don't know if there are locks that would work with the lash caps and still give me the correct installed height?

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks, Michael.

http://home.comcast.net/~grammerman/...aged_valve.bmp

 

Just wondering...how did you find this. Like what were the symptoms? Noise? Was it running poorly? Did it affect compression or anything major?

Hopefully somebody can answer your question.

 

Man the same exact thing happened to me. The valve stem face was rounded over a bit. I had to dress it with a dremel some but no big deal.

I had LT4 springs which are way softer than those beehives so Idrove on it a while and watched it like a hawk. I feel I could have driven on it for some time but I used i as an excuse for heads and cam as well as a full 355 rebuild.

If it were me with those stiff springs I would be pulling the head cause if that valve fails then goodbye engine.

When this happens it makes a loud and scary banging sound.

 

A question I would want to know is, the metal that's missing from that valve tip, where is it now? I'm wondering if I see parts of it on both retainers... ???

If it were me, not only would I pull the head, but I'd also make sure there's no metal bits floating around inside the engine.

 

Yup, he better change that oil now.

When mine did this the guide plates wore bad enough for the rocker to fall off. I definitely had metal in the engine cause all cam bearings were shot as well as the #1 rod bearing.