QKSLVRZ

If the wear is inconsistent, and due to heat, I would want to start x-raying exhaust valves coming out of heads with a few bad cylinders, to see it they have different amounts of sodium in them. If it's a water jacket issue not getting enough water to the guide, it shouldn't move.


Quick, if all of these heads are getting fixed that the vendors claim they are fixing, maybe we can ask them to collect failure info on each head they redo, something simple like guide wear measurements, and visual remarks, like coking on cyl 2-5 exh. Then we can see if there is a correlation with bad guides and dropped valves (cause they probably get those heads too).

zoomz

Street and strip in Orlando .

Hollow stem from the first batch produced .

'06 Quicksilver Z06

Some of them will measure stem to guide clearances, examine the valve stems for signs of galling, coking, and other visual examination.

Not much more than that though, and not all even do that.

Not all measure at different locations within the guide, and even then, there was a thread in here inducating that doing that was time consuming.

So I don't know if we will get much more information regarding what you speak of than what we routinely get.

Worth a try though, but as with anything, time is money, and nothing is free.

MTIRC6Z

The vender is in the business of making as much money as possible, spending time trying to analyse exactly what the problem is will cut into profits and has no upside, particularly when the 'fix' has already be sold over and over again. Why on earth would the vender want to find out what is really happening, there's too much potential of undermining years of selling the established 'fix'

Companies like Katech will do extensive and expensive research to further the sport and indirectly their profits. A company like WCCH is simply in the business of slamming the easiest to access parts into old heads at as large a rate as possible, that is their business model, one which does not require research.

Cheers, Paul.

Matt Cyber Z06

While I agree with most all of what you typed, I don't agree with the part in Bold. Also I'd say it is directly Bashing a well known Company on this forum.

MTIRC6Z

WCCH may be a well known company but they are NOT a forum vender and yet receive more than their fair share of advertising on a forum they openly acknowledge as not having any time for. This forum owes WCCH absolutely nothing, they contribute nothing monetarily or otherwise, they simply rip the forum off for whatever they can through the use of a few relentless cheer leaders.

While my opinion of WCCH may seem somewhat harsh I stand by it, but clearly I would have to temper this opinion IF they actually supported the forum. Until such time I will not hold back, the continued misinformation they perpetuate about the OEM valve being the source of the LS7 problems makes this very easy to do.

Cheers, Paul.

fendersceptre

Hey All,
I understand the desire to debate, but can we keep the subject on the Ferrea Hollow Stem Valves?

I started this thread because I was interested in running with these valves, assumedly everyone reading this thread already has made their mind up on what they wish to do with their engines so I don't think we need to argue over SS vs OEM valves, especially considering this thread isn't even about solid valves.
Finally, I did not start this thread to advertise WCCH or any other vendor, as I do not even plan to have my heads done there. So please, let's not debate wether this thread is allowing WWCH to rip off this forum, etc.

Thanks for all the input from everyone,
Joshua

Mark2009

From what I've read elsewhere, they have a good reputation. While they may be new to the LS7 my impression is that they have been made for other engines for quite some time.

Like all LS7 exhaust valves I've seen personally, I'd suggest having the tips of the stems polished unless there is some engineering reason not to (the part that interfaces with the rocker tip).

MyLS1Hauls

My issue with these Ferrea valves is that they are unproven in this application. Nobody really knows how they are going to pan out in the long run. They are lacking the NaK filling, that most hollow stemmed exhaust valves have. Will this make the valve heads run too hot in some applications? Who knows.

The problem here is, you're trading validated stock valves (the stock valves were run over hundreds of hours at WOT on a dyno at GM) for these Ferrea ones that were not. Anytime you introduce something new into the mix, you add uncontrolled variables. You could end up making things worse, not necessarily better. Now I'm not saying I wouldn't use these valves, or that they are bad...but these are factors that you need to take into consideration. Really, NOBODY knows for sure that there is anything wrong with the stock valves. 2-3 guys will tell you all day that there is, but they have no factual evidence to back this up. The evidence of failures isn't evidence of bad valves. Too many assumptions have been made, and some common sense has been disregarded, in an effort to force opinions on others. These guys wouldn't make it as CSIs. Good luck with your decision. I know it's not an easy one to make, in light of everything.

Vette @ 71

What he said. :

RedZ4me

Just a thought I've had for a long time - seems Katech does alot with GM, whether it's support, R&D or whatever - right or wrong, this relationship would end quickly if they cut up their geometry, hollow Ti valves or anything else on the engineering side - def'ly wouldn't be a smart move. Not a knock towards Katech at all, they do some amazing work but just saying, business is first.

propain

WCCH will also accommodate the owners with some nice OEM valves as well.

QKSLVRZ

Anyone know if GM has changed the PN for valves from the earlier years through to the current LS7?

propain

They did, yes.

QKSLVRZ

Do you perchance know what years they changed? That would be a good way to rough out when GM changed them, either addressing some weakness, process/coating changes, or cost reduction program.

jtjohn1

It's what I am using in my build. I hope to have the heads back and the car on the road by this weekend *Crosses fingers* Heads were supposed to have shipped out Friday or today for installation (I live on the East Coast so who knows. It may just be wishful thinking)

'06 Quicksilver Z06

The part number for the stock exhaust valve changed in May of 2008.

vertC6

What do you think would happen to WCCH's reputation and Richard's business in general if he was just "slamming in cheap parts"?? He would have a lot of failures, a lot of pissed off customers, and he would be out of business.

ramairws6

I guess the naysayers think he's rolling the dice. I disagree just for the fact that this whole situation could and would put him out of business if he was wrong.

propain

No it wouldn't. He knows most if not all these cars are barely driven. Take Quick for example. The biggest proponent and salesmen of this mod. 2K miles in 2 years. At that rate Richard will have retired to the Bahamas long before it lets go.

Now look at a company like Katech and what they recommend. They know their cars are going to be track driven and hard. THEY would be in trouble and their reputation hurt badly if their builds were letting go. Neither of which is happening.

This mod is for the masses. Masses who probably wouldn't have failed anyhow on the stock parts WITH guide wear because they put 2K miles a year on theirs cars and it will never see the track or be driven hard. Look at the stats.... Look at where the failures happen. Look at how many stock daily driven garage queens have failed compared to the others.