So i picked my head up from the machine shop yesterday afternoon( i had valve guides installed, valve job, springs installed), after getting home and inspecting it i notice that one of the guides appeared to be a 1\4 shorter than the rest while looking at them through the exhaust port. I took the head back to the machine shop 1st thing this morning and showed them the guide. The machinest told me that one of the guides that i supplied was shorter than the rest but this should not cause a problem with it fuctioning properly. Does any know if this will cause any problems and if so why? I can also provied pics if needed. This is on a p72 honda head if it makes a diffrence.

Thanks

 

You will not have any issues unless you have a clearance issue between the valve stem and the guide itself. Ensure you have proper oil clearance and you should be fine. I'd say though that the machine shop that did your work should have contacted you before installing that guide. I'm sure you would have rather installed the proper guide to begin with. Easy way to check to see if the guide wasn't installed all the way is to pull the valve/spring assembly apart in that "faulty" hole and one that appears to be "proper" and check to see if the top of the guides are the same height from the valve guide boss. If they are then the machine shop was telling you the truth..if its not then that means that they need to install that guide properly still. The guide itself is a full taper installation and has a press interference fit once installed. I am quite confident that the guide wont back out or move but if you can measure to height of the guides from one another that would give you an affirmation on the guide itself.

I checked the height of all the guides and they where all correct, so i should be good. Thanks for your reply, it was just the info i needed!