[Healeys] Octane ratings

[BJ8 Healeys]

Mike, when I had my BJ8 head rebuilt, the machinist told me that I had
significant valve recession.  He showed me my head, in which all of the
exhaust valve faces were flush with the adjacent head surfaces, and a
rebuilt head from another type of car where the valve faces were
significantly proud of the head surfaces.  When I got the head back, the
valves were like the other head.
I haven't seen any Healey engine head but my own, so I don't know.  Was my
machinist correct or not?

I don't know how my car was used before I got it, but I put about 36,000
miles on the engine before I rebuilt it, mostly long distance cruising on
regular leaded until it disappeared and then regular with a lead substitute
until the rebuild (93 octane premium since).  I figure the engine had
between 80K and 100K at the time of rebuild.  I rebuilt it because I was
losing pieces from the piston edges, apparently due to the rings breaking
up.

Anyway, I went with the no-lead head modifications.

Steve Byers
HBJ8L/36666
BJ8 Registry
Havelock, NC

-----Original Message-----
From: healeys-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of Michael Salter
Sent: Friday, October 02, 2009 5:25 PM
To: 'Bob Spidell'; 'Paul Leeks'
Cc: healeys at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Octane ratings

Regarding valve seat recession.
I very much doubt that it will ever be a problem in a Healey engine.
Check this http://www.netbug.net/blogmichael/?p=623


Michael Salter
http://www.netbug.net/blogmichael/?p=445