350 lp head valve search

Hello folks, I have a 350U on lp head in the machine shop (Head casting #364017R2), and the machinist recommends all new valves. I looked at the valves and he is right, they are really thin. Do any of you know of a source for these? My book shows the proper valves for an LP head is 363786r1 (Intake) and 363787r1 (Exhaust) which are unique to the LP head. Thanks for any help or counsel, Jeff
 
You are wanting used valves, right, or new, The machine shop should be able get the new, and the salvage yards of Oklahoma and Texas should have some used heads and valves.
 
My first preference would be new. I was in the room when the machine shop was on the phone with the warehouse and they claimed to be N.L.A. That doesn't mean that there aren't some hiding on a shelf somewhere. If I can't find the correct valve, I would prefer to buy longer stem valves, cut to length, and re-cut the retainer/ keeper groove. If all else fails we can put smaller I.D. seats in the head and cut the perimeter of the valve to re-establish an edge, but that is a lot of work and expense just to end up with a cobbled head. This is just the kind of challenge that makes these old tractors fun, so I will enjoy the search. Thanks, jeff
 
I ran into the same problem with a 300LP head last year. The stems are longer due to the smaller chamber and are NLA everywhere I looked. Mine had plenty of beef but the intakes had tiny corrosion pits on the stem and head. Corrosion pits = dropped valve sooner or later and ruined head.

What I did was get ahold of a list of every valve that Melling makes and I bought some that were the right stem diameter but much longer and had a larger diameter head. Those were apparently NOS as well. I put them in my lathe using a collet and turned down the head and re-cut the valve keeper groove then cut the stem to length. I then re-hardened the tip.

I have not run it yet to try it out. It's fully assembled and ready to run but the entire project has been sidelined due to external factors and will be a bit before I get back to it.

The modified valves turned down wonderfully on the lathe and a light lapping showed full contact on the seat. I did touch up the valve seats too.
 
This approximates what I was thinking, assuming that I couldn't find some original valves. I checked in the parts book, and it looks like 300lp an 350lp used the same valves, so I guess I am right on your bumper. Would you happen to know the number of the valves you cut down?
Thanks all, Jeff
 
Don't know if Messicks made another mistake or now have a source for the valves, but they show them with a price on line. They have a hot line to call and ask.
 
Let me do some digging and see.

I seem to be recalling now that someone did have some NOS valves but they wanted a truly astronomical sum for them.
 
I sure appreciate the leads and ideas. Messicks did have one exhaust valve, which is on its' way. Plus, I think I have the nose oils on a second exhaust. It seems like the intakes are the truly rare ones. As of yet, I haven't found a single intake valve on the shelf.
I do have a very workable plan B though, and I post it here in case it helps someone else- I Called Manley valve today and gave them all of the specs, they thought that since the valve fits within the specs of one of their standard blanks, that they could make new valves for around $30 each. At this point, I would probably be fine with that. I have two 350U on factory LP, so I might just have them make two heads worth of intakes, that would see me out. At any rate, thanks for the help guys! Jeff
 
That would not be a bad deal if they would make them for that price.

I couldn't find any packaging but I did find some notes. I used either melling V0691 or V0609 for the intake and I had V0580 and V1119 written for the exhaust. I'm not sure that I bought new exhaust valves though as they did not have the pitts that the intakes had. It's been a long year since I did that work.
One of the Melling valve charts
 

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