Question for cylinder head gurus
 

My friend has been learning to use a boroscope.

He sent me a link to a you-tube video of a valve opening and closing. Please take a look: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxeb...ature=youtu.be

If you look closely, you can see slight movement in the valve seat as the valve contacts it. I think it is oil that is squeezing out of the seam between the seat and the cylinder head.

I would have thought the seat should be pressed into the head tightly and shouldn't move.

Is this bad? OK? typical?

Should this be addressed immediately? Soon? Let it go until something bad happens?

Its not pretty when a seat pops loose. They have an interference fit and shouldn't leak.

Seems not okay - not typical.

Personally, I wouldn't fly the aircraft until this is resolved.

FWIW.

Dan

That is a failure waiting to happen.

Keith

First it is loose when cold, then it is loose when hot. That's bad.

I know of one engine was highly turbocharged and had a tapered shape on the seat, it was chilled in then a die pressed on the head to yield material on the seat. It was the only way it could be made to stay in place. I don't think this applies to the NA-Lyc.

How many hours on this head assy? Maybe now is a good time to have a new (oversized) seat installed.

Edit - nice clear picture with that scope - what specs does it have?

Ya that was my question - what borescope is that?

Sucks to find that, but very good to find that on the ground before a lot of collateral damage to the engine or worse. I think I need a borescope. Sorry can't offer any wisdom.

It appears the valve guide is worn, I wouldn't call it critical. There lots of this out there on high time engines. Is it good?, no.

That's my impression also. the rocking motion of the valve in the worn guide is causing uneven pressure on the seat.I've seen this failure in type IV VW cylinder heads that are run hot.Great work with the bore scope in finding this early.May I ask how many hours and who's cylinders are these?What oil are you using? The guide wear is common issue,the seat movement is not.I wouldn't fly it till the jugs are pulled and sent out for repair.A loss of one cylinder in a Lycoming will spreed debris to the other 3.Much cheaper&safer to Top this engine now.IMHO
RHill

Seat Movement
 

The valve seat should not be moving. Period!

Skylor

Valve seat/ guide
 

Looks like a combination of both a worn valve guide and a loose seat. I certainly wouldn't fly it until I resolved the issue. The cost of an overhauled or new cylinder is minimal compared to potential damage if left unresolved!