Author Topic: Cut your own valve seats?  (Read 28058 times)

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Offline XC204

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Cut your own valve seats?
« on: March 30, 2012, 09:26:17 AM »
Anybody cut their own valve seats? I found these manual seat cutters that you turn by hand. Cutter is $65
Not sure on the stem guide price. Seeing the prices on the site that people are getting charged for machine work it looks like an option.
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Offline Grey

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #1 on: March 30, 2012, 01:32:01 PM »
Anybody cut their own valve seats? I found these manual seat cutters that you turn by hand. Cutter is $65
Not sure on the stem guide price. Seeing the prices on the site that people are getting charged for machine work it looks like an option.
Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk

Never heard of a hand tap for cutting seats. Can't even imagine using a hand cutter for seats. Is it made by the same company that makes Slick50? Sounds like it could be. JMO ;D

Offline XC204

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2012, 02:10:09 PM »
This is the company that makes them. http://www.cylinderheadsupply.com/neway-valve-seat-cutters.html  looks like it would be easy.

Offline nayto550

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2012, 03:14:12 PM »
I've cut valve seats using manual equipment before, it's not too difficult.  However, I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself unless you have a bad head to practice on first.  If you mess it up the first time, it can be quite difficult to get the cuts correct afterwards and may even require replacing the seats (which is no fun) if the valve sits too low in the seat.  If you do decide to do it yourself, just make very small cuts and check the contact band between the seat and valve after every cut.

BTW, the Neway cutters are the exact ones that I used.  They are a very well built tool, and will easily outlive you if treated properly.
« Last Edit: March 30, 2012, 03:16:28 PM by nayto550 »
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Offline KRONUS0100

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #4 on: March 30, 2012, 04:30:35 PM »
have used neways on diesels before.  you have to have new valves guides first, or it is complete waste of time.
MATT
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Offline Grey

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #5 on: March 30, 2012, 06:24:25 PM »
I mis-under stood when you said HAND cutters. Sorry. Your still using a machine to do this. Yes they are like Serti(sp) cutters. You should practice on some junk heads to get the pressure etc. If done wrong they can chatter and ruin the seat.

Offline lone*X

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #6 on: March 30, 2012, 08:25:18 PM »
XC204, are your seats so bad that a good lapping wouldn't do?  Lapping by hand using a good lapping paste can do wonders for the valve and seat contact area and really improve sealing.
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Offline XC204

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2012, 04:57:00 PM »
Bought some lapping compound will try that first. Thanks for some good info .

Offline Terry in Australia

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2012, 05:40:21 PM »
Those Neway cutters are top quality, the techs use them on one of the Airforce bases I work at for aircraft engines, so they'd be fine for our bikes. Cheers, Terry. ;D
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Offline jaguar

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2012, 06:02:50 PM »
What ones are needed for the SOHC 750?
possible to do a 3 angle with these?

Interested to know if the job can be done with under $100 in tools

Offline lucky

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #10 on: March 31, 2012, 06:14:50 PM »
Anybody cut their own valve seats? I found these manual seat cutters that you turn by hand. Cutter is $65
Not sure on the stem guide price. Seeing the prices on the site that people are getting charged for machine work it looks like an option.
Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk

Never heard of a hand tap for cutting seats. Can't even imagine using a hand cutter for seats. Is it made by the same company that makes Slick50? Sounds like it could be. JMO ;D

SEE THIS FIRST.
Honda CB750 cafe SOHC4 Neway Valve Seat cutting.AVI

In the motorcycle world IT IS NORMAL to cut the seats with hand tools.
On the Honda CB750 though the seat has 3 different angles.
The original Honda factory seat cutter had all 3 angles and cut them all by turning the tool 1.5 turns.

Some of the seat cutters offered for sale has three different cutting tools to cut the 3 different angles.

Also on the Honda valves you do NOT grind them at all.
The exhaust valves are sodium filled like aircraft exhaust valves.

No SORRY you do not need a computerized $50,000 tool.
« Last Edit: March 31, 2012, 06:19:33 PM by lucky »

Offline XC204

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #11 on: March 31, 2012, 06:26:19 PM »
Wow ! my confidence just took a huge leap!

Offline jaguar

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #12 on: March 31, 2012, 07:06:58 PM »
Well at that rate you need two tools.  but still under $300 in tools

Never heard anything about the honda valves were sodium filled.

Offline MRieck

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #13 on: March 31, 2012, 07:10:01 PM »
Well at that rate you need two tools.  but still under $300 in tools

Never heard anything about the honda valves were sodium filled.
Because they are not.
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Offline jaguar

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #14 on: March 31, 2012, 07:13:32 PM »
Well then that explains it...
If nothing else luckys posts do make you want to go out and learn right from wrong.

Offline MRieck

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #15 on: March 31, 2012, 07:15:06 PM »
This is all BS....I will video an actual Serdi valve job on one of these heads. Then.....somebody can tell me they are all BS.
  Mike
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Offline MRieck

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #16 on: March 31, 2012, 07:18:51 PM »
I will also add......stock Honda SOHC 750 intake seats SUCK!!!! Soft as sh!t and twice as ugly!
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Offline jaguar

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #17 on: March 31, 2012, 07:26:39 PM »
Im sure that there is a difference....if there wasnt then people wouldnt charge what they charge.

Is there a layman way of explaining the difference though?

Offline scottly

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #18 on: March 31, 2012, 08:49:50 PM »
I will video an actual Serdi valve job on one of these heads.
  Mike
I, for one, would really like to see this video, Mike! I grew up in the "stone" age. ;)
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Offline Terry in Australia

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #19 on: April 01, 2012, 03:20:38 AM »
I will video an actual Serdi valve job on one of these heads.
  Mike
I, for one, would really like to see this video, Mike! I grew up in the "stone" age. ;)

Ha ha, I've got a really nice set of valve seat grinding stones here Scott, can't I use them on my 40 year old Honda? ;D
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Offline kos

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #20 on: April 01, 2012, 07:31:18 AM »
Two things...Mike is right...never sodium in any Honda valve and Serdi is the way to go. There is a lot of power to be had with a precision valve job and only three angles never gets you there, BUT for most of this forum...3 angle done with a hand cutter will work just fine but if you are doing any kind of mods for more power..the biggest mistake is doing your own 3 angle valve job!
220...221, whatever it takes.

Offline MRieck

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #21 on: April 01, 2012, 04:45:14 PM »
I didn't mean to come off as a jerk. The Serdi machine gives installed heights, widths etc that are super consistent. There are CNC valve machine that are very good too.....I haven't seen them in action. A valve job is just about the most the most important aspect of the cylinder head in regard to air through the hole. Hugh contact areas in the middle of the valve are garbage.....you want .040 wide on the outside of the intake valve face. Ex is .060 width. Those are hard and fast #'s
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Offline 754

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #22 on: April 01, 2012, 09:11:11 PM »
 I was surprised to see the video guy allow the tool to go backwards...what the hey ???
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Offline Greggo

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #23 on: April 01, 2012, 11:07:53 PM »
Please make that video Mike!

Offline trueblue

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Re: Cut your own valve seats?
« Reply #24 on: April 02, 2012, 12:27:51 AM »
I was surprised to see the video guy allow the tool to go backwards...what the hey ???
Yeah I was taught to never run a seat cutter backwards
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