Looking for feedback on Manley Black Max valves

[Ron Miller]

I'm looking for feedback on the Manley Black Max series valves. I found a source that has new old stock on hand. Anybody out their use them. Are they solid roller compatible?

Thanks for looking and any info you can provide,

[Ron Miller]

Bump, theirs got to be somebody out there that has info on this valve. I would like to hear good and the bad.

Thanks,

[Newold1]

I have used black nitriding valves in quite a few engines over the years and the ones I have used were put thru the QPQ process of nitriding. I have not used Manley's Black Max valves but I suspicion they are done with the same process. In endurance engine applications with extended high rpms and added heat of power adders I think they offer a great improvement over chrome. This process actually changes the material property of the stainless steel of the valve and does not require chroming or plating of the stems. My experience with these valves in bronze valve guides was impressive as guide wear literally disappeared in these endurance uses as the valve stems seem to polish up with use and wear of the guide becomes almost non-existant. The process also changes the ductility of the valve and adds very high bending without breaking and in some actual exhaust valve drops saved a few engines from grenading completely with a valve head breaking off and dropping into the cylinder. If you look at most European high rpm offerings most of these engines are now using the (black) nitriding process valves. Check with Manley and see what their process is.

[modok]

I have been wondering for 10 years why the black nitrided valves are not used more extensively with bronze guides......
And I still don't know why. I have not seen nor heard of any drawbacks whatsoever. yet, still not widely used, but they are used MORE often each year, in new engines.

[cgarb]

I bought a set of engine pro brand valves, their black nitride race valves to run in my 292 turbo heads, the guides were worn so they are getting bronze liners. The engine pro rep told me the same things about better finish and improved guide life and also about the valves bending more so than breaking off. Selling points...yes, actual who knows. My local builder never used them before so I will try them out and see.

[shoedoos]

Competition Products used to offer Howards branded black coated valves at very reasonable prices.....would these be the same process? A1 (the trans people) used to sell the black valves too.....

[cgarb]

The engine pro brand are made in Argentina, says so on the box and they do look like quality valves. Cant speak for the materials exactly but the machine work on them are very nice.

[Newold1]

Millions of great valves are made in Argentina including Ferrera and Rev.

[Ron Miller]

Guys,

Thanks for the replies and info.

[shoedoos]

While on the subject of Manley, can anybody tell me what M-X and F-X stands for printed/scribed on their valves?

[ProPower engines]

Millions of great valves are made in Argentina including Ferrera and Rev.

If you look closely at the EP valves compared to the Ferrea valves they are identical in appearance.
Up here years ago before they were sold there was a company called KCR valve. There HP valves were made in Argentina same as the engine pro valves. I recently looked at some old stock I had and compared them to the KCR pieces and at that time I was told they were made from the same blanks the Ferrea valves were.
As far as consistent stem sizing they are very good but as for available sizes they have the common stuff but in +100 lengths the engine pro line is limited.

Manley on the other hand has everything you could ever want in a HP valve. There black max valves offer great stem wear protection like many european engines use like BMW VW etc..
I have tried the EP line of coated stems in many HP marine applications with no signs of any wear issue detected during freshen ups after several years up running in either bronze or cast guided heads.

Mercury marine used the same coated stems in several engines with cast guides and the stems looked very good after many years of running in both fresh and salt water applications.

[Geoff2]

Pretty sure the valve stems of Ferrea valves are flash chromed for long life.