LS7 Valve Help
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LS7 Valve Help I am selecting parts to build an engine to put in a 67 Camaro that I am restoring. I am building an LS7 but an shooting to add a lot of horsepower. I am going with stock LS7 heads with some small changes. One of them is the valves. I'm just trying to find something that will be able to handle the extra power and workload. I have been reading a lot about the different aspects of building the engine but havnt found much on the valves. So I have a couple of questions.
1) The stock valves are an titanium intake, and a sodium filled (whatever that means) exhaust. Why is the exhaust different?
2) What I have been reading is saying to upgrade to stainless steel valves. I have found some intake valves like that but I have had no luck finding exhaust's as stainless steel. Does anyone have recommendations of shops that sell sets of stainless steel valves for the LS7?
I want to get them from the same place, and will probably pick up the springs and other like parts from the same shop.
Thanks.
1) The stock valves are an titanium intake, and a sodium filled (whatever that means) exhaust. Why is the exhaust different?
2) What I have been reading is saying to upgrade to stainless steel valves. I have found some intake valves like that but I have had no luck finding exhaust's as stainless steel. Does anyone have recommendations of shops that sell sets of stainless steel valves for the LS7?
I want to get them from the same place, and will probably pick up the springs and other like parts from the same shop.
Thanks.
As for the exhaust many folks are switching the inconel exhaust valve out for a 1 piece stainless steel valve. The inconel's have been proven to break, and this is why people are changing over to SS valves. I'm not sure what your budget is, but if you're not scarred, and want serious high quality heads, talk to Victory and/or Del West about their 1 piece titanium exhaust valves. Katech has them as an option to buy, and they look really cool. Issue is, you'll be dropping something between $800-$1200 on 8 exhaust valves! You'll have the baddest LS7 heads around, but they'll be pricey!
1) The stock valves are an titanium intake, and a sodium filled (whatever that means) exhaust. Why is the exhaust different?
2) What I have been reading is saying to upgrade to stainless steel valves. I have found some intake valves like that but I have had no luck finding exhaust's as stainless steel. Does anyone have recommendations of shops that sell sets of stainless steel valves for the LS7?
I want to get them from the same place, and will probably pick up the springs and other like parts from the same shop.
Thanks.
2) Manley and Ferrea both make solid stem stainless steel LS7 exhaust valves. I used to use the Manley valves in the LS7 heads with bronze guides and never had any issues after that.
I'm pretty sure any of the sponsors of this board (Tick/Brian Tooley/COSpeed) can get you set up with any and everything you'll need.
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Thanks for the info. Another question I am now having is should I even be trying to change the valves. I'm keeping the stock heads. But will probably be changing the valves, springs, ect.
I don't know a lot about the subject, and I am seeing a lot of different info.
Titanium is lighter and supposed to handle heat dissipation better, but stainless is supposed to be more durable under stress.
I am shooting for 700hp NA minimum.
Are the valves something I should change?
I don't know a lot about the subject, and I am seeing a lot of different info.
Titanium is lighter and supposed to handle heat dissipation better, but stainless is supposed to be more durable under stress.
I am shooting for 700hp NA minimum.
Are the valves something I should change?
Titanium is light, but it actually has poor heat dissipation properties. Titanium is often paired with Copper Beryllium seats, which are highly effective at dissipating heat and will help pull the heat from the titanium valve. I'm not 100% sure, but I think GM uses a combination of copper infused iron alloys in the intake seats and the Chrome Nitride coating to use the titanium valves in the LS7. The only reason I would change the intake valves is to get rid of the lash caps.
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Keep the stock titanium intake valves, it's a big valve, you want it as light as possible. There is several companies that make stainless exh valves. 11688 is the part number for Manley's severe duty exh valve. You should consider Inconel if you're going to spray a **** load of nitrous, or run boost via turbo because of the heat.
