valve spring, sticking valve?

[jaredts]

Hope your truck's doin' better.  Mine's not yet.  Finally had a break in the weather so I start wiping down my new heads to install them.  I look at one of the exhaust valve seats and notice a wide spot on the seat that didn't clean up when it was machined.  Its probably only missing the valve by .01" or so, and I don't know how deep it goes, but it doesn't look good to me.  I already painted them too.

edit (better pic)

[HAULIN IT]

Jared, If your referring to the top valve where it is almost touching the other one...It's not a problem from what I think I'm seeing. The small Gray band right beside the valve is the seat, under the valve head is where it seals. The rough cast area that is machined most of the way around is just what was left from the work being done. If this is what your concerned with, it isn't a problem...if there is more than what I see, please explain & we'll try to help. Lorne   

[jaredts]

The circled area is non-cleanup on the machined valve seat.  It extends some unknown distance under the valve.  If I had a .005" or .010" pin gage I could push it under the valve all along this area.

[VileZambonie]

That's the cut not the seat. Use layout dye or lapping compound to see the contact pattern. Or put aq sprk plug in, fill the chamber with ATF and see if it leaks out over night.

[HAULIN IT]

I see the area...The Gray 1/16" area around the valve is the replacement seat. The "chipped away" looking area in the center of your circle isn't hurting anything if that is what your looking at. To be sure, you can test it with a hand-held vacuum pump & a plate easy enough.
Sorry if I'm not following you, maybe it's not really what I'm making of it in the picture. Lorne   

[jaredts]

This is a brand new head, so I'm not sure what you mean by replacement seat.  Is there a hardened seat insert further under the the valve that I am not seeing?  I thought the valve should be supported/sealed all the way out to its outside diameter?  If I check the valve for sealing with atf or vacuum pump it may pass, but only be sealing on a fraction of what it is supposed to leading to early failure?

[VileZambonie]

It either seals or it doesn't. The contact pattern you will see is typically very narrow and on an interference angle.

[jaredts]

I sent pictures to Summit and they replaced the head.  Got it started today and it seemed to be running great for about five minutes.  Then it died suddenly...no spark.  Valves are moving, so its not the timing chain.  Getting ready to go back out and try to figure this out.  I'm assuming pickup coil or ignition control module?  I checked for voltage at the dist. power wire and its there.

[1979C20]

Could be coil too, but suddenly losing spark, probably ICM or pickup coil.

[jaredts]

Ignition control module tested bad at the parts store.  Threw in the new one and it started right up.  Set the timing, checked for leaks, so far everything seems to be good.  I drove it around the block and oh baby does it drive nice now.  I fixed about a dozen other problems while I was at it too and also got rid of my ac compressor.  Man that thing was in the way.

[1979C20]

Nice! Got any pictures? Have you noticed a gain in power?

[TexasRed]

Did you test the new module at the parts store? What brand? I've had some borg warners that couldn't make it off the shelf good, the only one in the store that DIDN'T fail out of the box was an accel.

[jaredts]

I can post some pictures, but its not buttoned up very well.  Difference in power?  My truck was dyin a slow death down the road.  It really runs and idles well now.  Pulls stronger than anything I've had, but I've had pretty much stock small blocks to this point.  I don't remember what brand ICM I bought.  The truck doesn't smoke anymore either, with a little exception.  When I stomp it in park it blows a tiny puff of black smoke (unburnt fuel).  I'm not sure at this point whether I should go back over my valves with it running or not, I used eoic method before I put it together and I'm not sure if I have the magic touch or not.  I think I detect a little bit of clatter of loose rocker arms, but not sure (not loud at all).