Nightmare Engine Rebuild

[J and M Machine]

Originally Posted by 30 Tudor

I'm glad that I checked the valve seats,
Here I show a sunk seat after a little tapping,
a feeler gauge under a different seat, and the debris under the seat that I pulled out. Several of them have a gap under them on one side,
that isn't normal is it? The bottom of the one I pulled out appears to be quite a ways from being level in the bottom.

I mean to say,,,,, that thing was tight, really tight, started feeling like something could break before it came loose.
It's an SB1625-1

But if the engine was hot going down the highway, wouldn't it settle and then the valve wouldn't seat properly and eventually the valve head could break from the stress?
I have ground hundreds of valves but always had the guides or seats done
by someone else when needed. Never had a problem.

Would like to hear from all the great shop guys that do this stuff.

What next? take them all out I presume.

Sure gonna be pretty to get this baby running!

Yes: I would remove all the seats as what you have shown as example is poor work.
If they are loose enough to move when you hit them they aren't going to get tighter when it heats up as the seat will move and cause the engine to skip.
If the seat moves down there goes your valve adjustment as example.
I would suggest taking it to someone who can put oversize seats in it as i mentioned in a previous post you can have custom seats made that are a few thousands bigger rather than going to next oversize.

When the valve seats are installed they have to be flush and not offset as you've asked. They have to be firmly seated in the block.

Since you are questioning faulty work on valve seats how is the rest of the work done to the engine itself.?
What other work was done as I would scrutinize all work done now.
If they failed on this what about cylinders are they properly sized ,did they hone them with the right stone?

Did he even clean the block so there is no debris left behind since they failed to clean the valve seat area I would want to wonder about the insides of block.