How to prevent the dropping-valve-seat-syndrom ? - The Ford Focus Forum

**Andreb** · 01-24-2005, 11:14 AM

Is there any way to prevent those valves seats from dropping in our engines? I really don't want this to happend to my car, you understand why!

from what I've read, it looks to be heat related, so I assume that It would be a good idea to keep the engine cooler.. so what would help?

cooler thermostat?

hot wiring the fans so we could turn them on with a switch for the hotter days?

**blueovalbaboon** · 01-24-2005, 11:50 AM

superglue

**JeffescortLX** · 01-24-2005, 01:56 PM

There's no need to modify the cooling system, just make sure it works. Test the ECT/fan, make sure to have the right coolent/water mixture, change your coolent with fresh stuff to slow internal corrosion. Yes, a over heated warped head can drop a valve seat, but some times they drop jus cuz they feel like it.
There might be some usefull info here:
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/419565/4

**MUTTLEE** · 01-24-2005, 06:59 PM

Drop it like its hot

**EsCoRtLvR** · 01-24-2005, 07:16 PM

OO here's some of my valve seat droppage

.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...6108CbOGrds1Zi

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...6108CbOGrds1Zi

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...6108CbOGrds1Zi

**TravEsD20** · 01-24-2005, 07:19 PM

I HATE that song. It is SOOOOOOOOO lame. And now everybody quotes it

. Ohh well can't escape it I guess

**XdrewsiferX** · 01-25-2005, 12:59 AM

and here a few of my droppings aswell

best of luck to ya...

**KogboxKing** · 01-25-2005, 10:40 AM

...the valve seat issue on Vin P engines is due to the PM valve seat inserts.IF you have replacement seats fitted be sure they are of the 'deeper' design and are the latest tempered design.The latest inserts also have a reduced leading edge chamfer wich gives greater contact area seat to head and better heat transfer from the seat.The contact area is the main reason for failure.If you have a head repaired be sure you use a machine shop that is an AERA member and be sure they work to the specs in the AERA Tech Bulletin # TB 1998 (July '02)(HMS Inc is an AERA Member)As a PS Be sure both the intake & exhaust manifolds are fully cleaned.Repeat failures have been experienced when parts of damaged seats/rings become stuck in the intake/exhaust manifolds ...the head is repaired but bits from uncleaned manifolds get back into the engine at start up.

**JeffescortLX** · 01-25-2005, 12:45 PM

Quote:

...the valve seat issue on Vin P engines is due to the PM valve seat inserts.IF you have replacement seats fitted be sure they are of the 'deeper' design and are the latest tempered design.The latest inserts also have a reduced leading edge chamfer wich gives greater contact area seat to head and better heat transfer from the seat.The contact area is the main reason for failure.If you have a head repaired be sure you use a machine shop that is an AERA member and be sure they work to the specs in the AERA Tech Bulletin # TB 1998 (July '02)(HMS Inc is an AERA Member)As a PS Be sure both the intake & exhaust manifolds are fully cleaned.Repeat failures have been experienced when parts of damaged seats/rings become stuck in the intake/exhaust manifolds ...the head is repaired but bits from uncleaned manifolds get back into the engine at start up.

Dyam, that's some awsome info. What else is in your head that we should know?

**KogboxKing** · 01-25-2005, 01:23 PM

.....I've been in the industry over 30 years,15 in Ford Powertrain R & D.....so you might expect I'd 'pick up a bit' of info over the years eh!!!

**JeffescortLX** · 01-25-2005, 01:36 PM

Quote:

.....I've been in the industry over 30 years,15 in Ford Powertrain R & D.....so you might expect I'd 'pick up a bit' of info over the years eh!!!

Your my new best friend.

Seen any thing cool in your day's?

**KogboxKing** · 01-25-2005, 01:41 PM

...worked of the Ford of Europe Sierra Cosworth engine prog...Did a bit with Cosworth on F1 engines...Ford Contour in USA (resident proto build eng)...bit on the MTX75 trans prog,had a good friend/fellow eng in Carrol Smith,Jack Roush cursed me a few times during the Contour prog...yeh,been 'round the block' a bit!

**JeffescortLX** · 01-25-2005, 02:36 PM

Quote:

...worked of the Ford of Europe Sierra Cosworth engine prog...Did a bit with Cosworth on F1 engines...Ford Contour in USA (resident proto build eng)...bit on the MTX75 trans prog,had a good friend/fellow eng in Carrol Smith,Jack Roush cursed me a few times during the Contour prog...yeh,been 'round the block' a bit!

Are we wasting are time wrenching on these silly SOHC CVH's?

**tin_maddog** · 01-25-2005, 02:38 PM

Quote:

...worked of the Ford of Europe Sierra Cosworth engine prog...Did a bit with Cosworth on F1 engines...Ford Contour in USA (resident proto build eng)...bit on the MTX75 trans prog,had a good friend/fellow eng in Carrol Smith,Jack Roush cursed me a few times during the Contour prog...yeh,been 'round the block' a bit!

Are we wasting are time wrenching on these silly SOHC CVH's?

Question of the millenia, bro. No matter what you or this guy say, it's all subjective.

But I'd still like to read a reply on that one!

Welcome to SPI tuning, Kogbox King! Please stick around--you know your [censored] and we love you for it!

**Andreb** · 01-25-2005, 02:43 PM

...so... from what I understand, there's no secret remedies for this issue unless your tear appart the whole head... so where stuck in something i'd call "the valve-dropping-spi lottery" ...

so all we can do is to keep our fingers crossed.

**KogboxKing** · 01-25-2005, 03:17 PM

...that just about sums it up...BUT if you want to save the pistons etc(and I know it's always $$$) you may get an old head re-manned correctly and swap em out...before the 'Big Bang'....The SOHC,like all engines has it's good & bad points...1000's of CVH's have given and still give great service...not quite like the 'ol pushrod 'Kent' engine that would still run well when the bores were so worn you could see most of the top ring.....!!

...but a good Ford 'lump' just the same.

**Gigaherz** · 01-25-2005, 03:25 PM

Whoa, nice info terry!

**Alexmdb** · 11-01-2009, 12:34 AM

I know this is an old post but I found it pretty hand and did a quick writeup about this, including some of the information from this thread:

http://mechdb.com/index.php/Valve_seat

I even have pictures of how I dropped my valve seat on there, by using Seafoam!

01-24-2005, 11:14 AM	#1 (permalink)
Andreb TEAM Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 446	How to prevent the dropping-valve-seat-syndrom ? Is there any way to prevent those valves seats from dropping in our engines? I really don't want this to happend to my car, you understand why! from what I've read, it looks to be heat related, so I assume that It would be a good idea to keep the engine cooler.. so what would help? cooler thermostat? hot wiring the fans so we could turn them on with a switch for the hotter days?

01-24-2005, 11:50 AM	#2 (permalink)
blueovalbaboon [FJ] Addict Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Lubbock, TX (my once and future--but not right now--home Posts: 16,116	Re: How to prevent the dropping-valve-seat-syndrom ? superglue

01-24-2005, 01:56 PM	#3 (permalink)
JeffescortLX Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,353	Re: How to prevent the dropping-valve-seat-syndrom ? There's no need to modify the cooling system, just make sure it works. Test the ECT/fan, make sure to have the right coolent/water mixture, change your coolent with fresh stuff to slow internal corrosion. Yes, a over heated warped head can drop a valve seat, but some times they drop jus cuz they feel like it. There might be some usefull info here: http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/419565/4

01-24-2005, 06:59 PM	#4 (permalink)
MUTTLEE Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 2,130	Re: How to prevent the dropping-valve-seat-syndrom ? Drop it like its hot

01-24-2005, 07:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
EsCoRtLvR TEAM Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lakeland, Florida Posts: 898	Re: How to prevent the dropping-valve-seat-syndrom ? OO here's some of my valve seat droppage . http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...6108CbOGrds1Zi http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...6108CbOGrds1Zi http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...6108CbOGrds1Zi

01-24-2005, 07:19 PM	#6 (permalink)
TravEsD20 Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Buckeye, AZ Posts: 2,493	Re: How to prevent the dropping-valve-seat-syndrom ? I HATE that song. It is SOOOOOOOOO lame. And now everybody quotes it . Ohh well can't escape it I guess

01-25-2005, 12:59 AM	#7 (permalink)
XdrewsiferX No Indians, only Zuul. Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Snohomish, WA Posts: 2,315	Re: How to prevent the dropping-valve-seat-syndrom ? and here a few of my droppings aswell best of luck to ya...

01-25-2005, 10:40 AM	#8 (permalink)
KogboxKing TEAM Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 650	Re: How to prevent the dropping-valve-seat-syndrom ? ...the valve seat issue on Vin P engines is due to the PM valve seat inserts.IF you have replacement seats fitted be sure they are of the 'deeper' design and are the latest tempered design.The latest inserts also have a reduced leading edge chamfer wich gives greater contact area seat to head and better heat transfer from the seat.The contact area is the main reason for failure.If you have a head repaired be sure you use a machine shop that is an AERA member and be sure they work to the specs in the AERA Tech Bulletin # TB 1998 (July '02)(HMS Inc is an AERA Member)As a PS Be sure both the intake & exhaust manifolds are fully cleaned.Repeat failures have been experienced when parts of damaged seats/rings become stuck in the intake/exhaust manifolds ...the head is repaired but bits from uncleaned manifolds get back into the engine at start up.

01-25-2005, 01:23 PM	#10 (permalink)
KogboxKing TEAM Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 650	Re: How to prevent the dropping-valve-seat-syndrom ? .....I've been in the industry over 30 years,15 in Ford Powertrain R & D.....so you might expect I'd 'pick up a bit' of info over the years eh!!!

01-25-2005, 01:41 PM	#12 (permalink)
KogboxKing TEAM Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 650	Re: How to prevent the dropping-valve-seat-syndrom ? ...worked of the Ford of Europe Sierra Cosworth engine prog...Did a bit with Cosworth on F1 engines...Ford Contour in USA (resident proto build eng)...bit on the MTX75 trans prog,had a good friend/fellow eng in Carrol Smith,Jack Roush cursed me a few times during the Contour prog...yeh,been 'round the block' a bit!

01-25-2005, 02:43 PM	#15 (permalink)
Andreb TEAM Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 446	Re: How to prevent the dropping-valve-seat-syndrom ? ...so... from what I understand, there's no secret remedies for this issue unless your tear appart the whole head... so where stuck in something i'd call "the valve-dropping-spi lottery" ... so all we can do is to keep our fingers crossed.

01-25-2005, 03:17 PM	#16 (permalink)
KogboxKing TEAM Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 650	Re: How to prevent the dropping-valve-seat-syndrom ? ...that just about sums it up...BUT if you want to save the pistons etc(and I know it's always $$$) you may get an old head re-manned correctly and swap em out...before the 'Big Bang'....The SOHC,like all engines has it's good & bad points...1000's of CVH's have given and still give great service...not quite like the 'ol pushrod 'Kent' engine that would still run well when the bores were so worn you could see most of the top ring.....!! ...but a good Ford 'lump' just the same.

01-25-2005, 03:25 PM	#17 (permalink)
Gigaherz [FJ] Specialist Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Earth Posts: 9,025	Re: How to prevent the dropping-valve-seat-syndrom ? Whoa, nice info terry!

11-01-2009, 12:34 AM	#18 (permalink)
Alexmdb Newbie Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 2	Re: How to prevent the dropping-valve-seat-syndrom ? I know this is an old post but I found it pretty hand and did a quick writeup about this, including some of the information from this thread: http://mechdb.com/index.php/Valve_seat I even have pictures of how I dropped my valve seat on there, by using Seafoam!

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