Hitchcocks Forum

I`ve just removed the valve guides from the cylinder heads on my 1960 SM because the exhaust valves were loose in the guides and it was smoking badly. The springs were well compressed as well. I`ve noticed what look like bronze bushes in the heads to hold the guides. Is this standard?

I`ve measured the guides and they come out at 0.610, much smaller than standard size. I will check them again with a digital vernier but don`t think I am that far out.

I wonder if someone found a set of non-standard valves with thinner stems and smaller O/D guides in lieu of a set of originals, which needed the guide holes in the head to be sleeved down to take them. It looks like our hosts have SM valves and guides - standard and oversize - in stock.

A.