[Andreb]

Is there any way to prevent those valves seats from dropping in our engines? I really don't want this to happend to my car, you understand why!

from what I've read, it looks to be heat related, so I assume that It would be a good idea to keep the engine cooler.. so what would help?

cooler thermostat?

hot wiring the fans so we could turn them on with a switch for the hotter days?

 

[blueovalbaboon]

superglue

 

[JeffescortLX]

There's no need to modify the cooling system, just make sure it works. Test the ECT/fan, make sure to have the right coolent/water mixture, change your coolent with fresh stuff to slow internal corrosion. Yes, a over heated warped head can drop a valve seat, but some times they drop jus cuz they feel like it.
There might be some usefull info here:
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/419565/4

 

[MUTTLEE]

Drop it like its hot

 

[EsCoRtLvR]

OO here's some of my valve seat droppage

.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3d833b3127cce9ee55539b69f00000016108CbOGrds1Zi

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3d833b3127cce9ee5553c37aa00000016108CbOGrds1Zi

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3d833b3127cce9ee5553db69b00000016108CbOGrds1Zi

 

[TravEsD20]

I HATE that song. It is SOOOOOOOOO lame. And now everybody quotes it

. Ohh well can't escape it I guess

 

[XdrewsiferX]

and here a few of my droppings aswell

best of luck to ya...

 

[KogboxKing]

...the valve seat issue on Vin P engines is due to the PM valve seat inserts.IF you have replacement seats fitted be sure they are of the 'deeper' design and are the latest tempered design.The latest inserts also have a reduced leading edge chamfer wich gives greater contact area seat to head and better heat transfer from the seat.The contact area is the main reason for failure.If you have a head repaired be sure you use a machine shop that is an AERA member and be sure they work to the specs in the AERA Tech Bulletin # TB 1998 (July '02)(HMS Inc is an AERA Member)As a PS Be sure both the intake & exhaust manifolds are fully cleaned.Repeat failures have been experienced when parts of damaged seats/rings become stuck in the intake/exhaust manifolds ...the head is repaired but bits from uncleaned manifolds get back into the engine at start up.

 

[JeffescortLX]

...the valve seat issue on Vin P engines is due to the PM valve seat inserts.IF you have replacement seats fitted be sure they are of the 'deeper' design and are the latest tempered design.The latest inserts also have a reduced leading edge chamfer wich gives greater contact area seat to head and better heat transfer from the seat.The contact area is the main reason for failure.If you have a head repaired be sure you use a machine shop that is an AERA member and be sure they work to the specs in the AERA Tech Bulletin # TB 1998 (July '02)(HMS Inc is an AERA Member)As a PS Be sure both the intake & exhaust manifolds are fully cleaned.Repeat failures have been experienced when parts of damaged seats/rings become stuck in the intake/exhaust manifolds ...the head is repaired but bits from uncleaned manifolds get back into the engine at start up.

Dyam, that's some awsome info. What else is in your head that we should know?

 

[KogboxKing]

.....I've been in the industry over 30 years,15 in Ford Powertrain R & D.....so you might expect I'd 'pick up a bit' of info over the years eh!!!

 

[JeffescortLX]

.....I've been in the industry over 30 years,15 in Ford Powertrain R & D.....so you might expect I'd 'pick up a bit' of info over the years eh!!!

Your my new best friend.

Seen any thing cool in your day's?

 

[KogboxKing]

...worked of the Ford of Europe Sierra Cosworth engine prog...Did a bit with Cosworth on F1 engines...Ford Contour in USA (resident proto build eng)...bit on the MTX75 trans prog,had a good friend/fellow eng in Carrol Smith,Jack Roush cursed me a few times during the Contour prog...yeh,been 'round the block' a bit!

 

[JeffescortLX]

...worked of the Ford of Europe Sierra Cosworth engine prog...Did a bit with Cosworth on F1 engines...Ford Contour in USA (resident proto build eng)...bit on the MTX75 trans prog,had a good friend/fellow eng in Carrol Smith,Jack Roush cursed me a few times during the Contour prog...yeh,been 'round the block' a bit!

Are we wasting are time wrenching on these silly SOHC CVH's?

 

[tin_maddog]

...worked of the Ford of Europe Sierra Cosworth engine prog...Did a bit with Cosworth on F1 engines...Ford Contour in USA (resident proto build eng)...bit on the MTX75 trans prog,had a good friend/fellow eng in Carrol Smith,Jack Roush cursed me a few times during the Contour prog...yeh,been 'round the block' a bit!

Are we wasting are time wrenching on these silly SOHC CVH's?

Question of the millenia, bro. No matter what you or this guy say, it's all subjective.

But I'd still like to read a reply on that one!

Welcome to SPI tuning, Kogbox King! Please stick around--you know your [censored] and we love you for it!

 

[Andreb]

...so... from what I understand, there's no secret remedies for this issue unless your tear appart the whole head... so where stuck in something i'd call "the valve-dropping-spi lottery" ...

so all we can do is to keep our fingers crossed.

 

[KogboxKing]

...that just about sums it up...BUT if you want to save the pistons etc(and I know it's always $$$) you may get an old head re-manned correctly and swap em out...before the 'Big Bang'....The SOHC,like all engines has it's good & bad points...1000's of CVH's have given and still give great service...not quite like the 'ol pushrod 'Kent' engine that would still run well when the bores were so worn you could see most of the top ring.....!!

...but a good Ford 'lump' just the same.

 

[Gigaherz]

Whoa, nice info terry!

 

[Alexmdb]

I know this is an old post but I found it pretty hand and did a quick writeup about this, including some of the information from this thread:

http://mechdb.com/index.php/Valve_seat

I even have pictures of how I dropped my valve seat on there, by using Seafoam!

 

[MeLbot2003]

Hi! I had the same song and dance happen to my 2003 Focus SOHC 2.0 / P series. It actually threw a rod though and destroyed my core.

First of all, thank you from the bottom of my heart for this information! Even if it was written years ago, it is still saving my life now. I need this car to last me a few years at least bc I am still paying for it! The only thing I am wondering is if there is a machine shop you would recommend? Is Jasper's really worth the price? I don't think I will get the $770 core back from them or at least most of it, so it is possibly $900 more than going through a parts shop, but it also comes w/ an intake manifold installed an an extra year on the warranty. O'Reilly uses Power Torque, Advanced Auto uses Spartan, and NAPA uses ATK Engines. Do you have a recommendation of where to get the best engine for the best price that will follow the technical specs you mentioned?

P.s. Anyone can respond if you have something to say, and hopefully some other poor Focus owner's out there with long faces will be helped for years to come if they discover this thread.