What Are the Options With a Burned Valve?

[OneCharlieTango]

There are lots of threads about diagnosing valve leaking and failure, but my friend “Search” was unable to tell me what the options are if you have a bad valve. If you have a valve that doesn’t improve with lapping or has cracks on borescope, what are the options? And what kind of time and cost would be involved?

 

[Clip4]

$800-$1200 in parts and $ $1000-1500 labor.

 

[Bell206]

If you have a valve that doesn’t improve with lapping or has cracks on borescope, what are the options?

Depending on the overall condition of the cylinder you can send it in for repair, exchange, or replace new.

And what kind of time and cost would be involved?

In addition to your mechanic costs to remove/install the cylinder, in general, cylinder repair is usually in the $250 - $500 range, exchange $700 - $900 range, new north of $1000. However, costs/availability are specific to P/N of cylinder.

 

[bflynn]

The valve is toast. Take it to your office and use it as a paperweight.

 

[OneCharlieTango]

What kind of turnaround time would you expect on, say, a repair?

If I went the replacement route, are cylinders as backordered as everything else?

 

[Bell206]

What kind of turnaround time would you expect on, say, a repair? If I went the replacement route, are cylinders as backordered as everything else?

Dont know the current turnaround times but I would guess with just valve work wouldnt take very long and measured in days. On replacements, if an exchange is offered they'll usually have one stock. New, from what I've heard depends on if OEM or aftermarket and specific P/N. But do know of someone that ordered/received several Superior cylinders with no issues. A quick call/email to the shop will get you a better answer.

 

[Wagondriver]

$250- $500 to repair? Where is that? The last cylinder I had overhauled cost about $1200, if new had been available at the time I would have gone new.

How many times has the cylinder been overhauled? I'd prefer to put on a used good first run cylinder or a new one. I have 3 old, overhauled before, cylinders and 3 low time, wish I had 6 low time.

 

[Bell206]

$250- $500 to repair? Where is that? The last cylinder I had overhauled cost about $1200,

I don't know what you mean by an "overhaul" when it comes to cylinders but the last repair I had done on an O-320 cylinder for a broken exhaust stud and wall pitting went $450. It was performed by one of the 2 shops I mentioned above as I don't remember which. And normally if the repair quote was close or exceeded an exchange cost (if available) I went that route. Unfortunately, with some cylinder P/Ns your options can be slim and none. But I think Gibson still offers a basic $500 turn on most cylinder repairs.

How many times has the cylinder been overhauled?

FYI: As long as it meets the required specifications a cylinder, or whatever, can be repaired as many times as needed. Knew a few W670 cylinders that made the repair rounds a number of times.

 

[Tarheelpilot]

The valve is toast. Take it to your office and use it as a paperweight.

Or a stamp holder.

 

[Snowmass]

On my IO-520 I have had several. Since I am the ultimate DIY guy I simply pulled the cylinder, took it to an engine shop where they replaced the seat and installed a good used valve. This was, maybe 15 years ago, and I paid the shop under $500 total. You can buy an entire assembly brand new for around $1200 a few years ago. BTW pulling a cylinder is quite easy and I am no an A&P (but I am a farm boy).

If you are mechanically skilled you might get an A&P to show you how to pull the cylinder since burning valves are quite common at least my engine.

 

[kyleb]

Part of it depends on how badly the cylinder is damaged. When I burned a valve on my Tomahawk, it was a few (2-3?) hours for the mechanic to pull and replace the cylinder, plus a new valve and a relatively small charge at a local cylinder shop to rework the valve seat. The whole thing was under $500, IIRC. But that was several years ago and the cylinder itself didn't need a lot of work.