No Bronze Guides, Any Reason?

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I had a rule if the lift was under .500ish it got hardened cast iron guides.

I was in a pinch once and I used hardened cast iron guides in my W5’s. I wouldn’t do that with a customers heads but for me I took a shot at it.

I put 35 runs on it to finish the year and when I went through the heads they were still fine.

I changed them out because I didn’t want to press my luck.
 
Honestly, these are conversations you should be having with a shop who would actually be doing the work.
thanks for the reply. I'm trying to gather up the parts and would rather ask guys that used both to get real world comparison.
The shop is just a machinist but I will ask him. Your profile picture shows bronze guides. did you use 11/32 valves? The reason I'm wondering to use bronze or not is I got stainless valves. Even though they are chromed would bronze be better suited?
When I buy the parts I save alot of money. If the shop buys them, its from Canada so 60% more right away then the shop wants to add about 30% on top of that. I'm not cool with just pissing money away when I dont have to. and I'm not saying this is true but there could be a bias there to use their sponsored parts even though other parts may be better but because that shop uses the sponsored part, I may not get an honest answer. I'd like to be prepared to ask with some proofed info from guys like you or whoever else that does these things and puts them to the test.
 
If the heads still have the factory guides, “I” would use k-line bronze guide liners as my first choice.

If they “needed” 1/2” od guides installed, bronze would be my preference.
I use guides with the correct id for the valve stems being used…….so for the parts you’re planning on using, 3/8” id.

Not all shops have the tooling to use all the guide options.
This is why you should be having this conversation with who will be doing the work.
No point showing up with parts they aren’t equipped to deal with.
 
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If the heads still have the factory guides, “I” would use k-line bronze guide liners as my first choice.

If they “needed” 1/2” od guides installed, bronze would be my preference.
I use guides with the correct id for the valve stems being used…….so for the parts you’re planning on using, 3/8” id.

Not all shops have the tooling to use all the guide options.
This is why you should be having this conversation with who will be doing the work.
No point showing up with parts they aren’t equipped to deal with.
The shop has a sunnen VGS.
so factory guides and the Kliner?
.0017”-.0018” clearance(exhaust)?
intake?

are regular umbrella seals ok?

thank you for your help
 
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As I reassemble my 360 that I bought used (took it apart to see what was in it and check its condition), I'm looking over the heads now. Ferrea stainless valves (2.02 intakes), ported, Crane Gold Rockers, aftermarket retainers, springs and keepers. As was the rest of the engine, they're in nice shape- almost. The builder (unknown) didn't install bronze guides. Some of the exhaust valve guides are a little loose. I can only imagine they're wearing quickly, because the rest of the engine showed little wear. It has a MP 292-508 cam. I haven't checked rocker geometry yet.

Is there a reason why someone would not install bronze guides?
how much deflection do you have at 500ish lift .. with that much lift might consider having it done though . I went ahead and put them in my heads because I had 1.6 rollers and different legth pushrods to center it and there was 3 with .008-.010 slop . no idea on cost I did it myself .
 
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