So i just tore the head off my engine (i am currently rebuilding it), and discovered that all my exhaust valves are white! Could this just be that my engine was running too lean? If so, what could be causing this? Or does anyone have any ideas?

 

i think your fine. burning clean with little or no deposits.

 

Looks like fairly typical deposits to me - I've seen that plenty of times. Any signs of trouble - cracking, pitting, anything like that?

You're always going to get a little "ash" on the valve heads, but what you've got doesn't seem to be any trouble at all. It looks like the same thing I've seen in a couple hundred other engines I've torn to bits over the years...

 

I would take white valves over black ones any day. Looks great.

 

well i guess thats good to hear! I can't see cracking or pitting anywhere on the valves or heads... everything looked fine to me, but i have never torn an engine apart with white exhaust valves, so i just figured i'd ask the experts!

 

Yeah my dads 454 in his 37 Chevy Sedan is tuned so good the inside of the manifolds and the head pipesof the exhaust are bright white. Nothing like having a good tune.