Reinforced exhaust valves Ford Falcon Barra 4.0

Ford engines covered

The Barra is the Australian 4 litre, 24-valve, twin-cam straight six fitted to the BA, BF, FG and FG X Ford Falcon from 2002 to 2016, as a saloon, estate and pick-up. It exists in naturally aspirated and turbo form (XR6 Turbo, FG Turbo).

It has 12 exhaust valves, two per cylinder. SUPERTECH reproduces them with a 5.97 mm stem, a 105.8 mm overall length and a single lock groove; the head is 32 mm at standard size.

SUPERTECH reinforced exhaust valves

An exhaust valve head works between 760 and 870 °C on a naturally aspirated engine and passes 1,000 °C with forced induction, metal temperature rather than gas temperature. The seat removes nearly 75 % of it, the guide about 20 %. An EV8 family steel holds 550 MPa at 600 °C and only 300 MPa at 800 °C: beyond that, the head fatigues, distorts and the seat seal deteriorates.

The FFEVN-1050S-12 is black nitrided EV16 stainless steel, a hard layer protecting the stem in the guide. The FFEVI-1052S-12 and FFEVI-1054S-12 are Inconel, a nickel-based superalloy keeping 860 MPa at 730 °C and 554 MPa at 815 °C, about 85 % better than EV8 steel around 800 °C: the versions to fit on a turbo Barra running raised boost.

Both Inconel versions enlarge the head by 1 mm (33 mm) or 2 mm (34 mm): burnt gases leave the cylinder faster and the engine fills better. The exhaust seats are then machined to the chosen diameter.

Exhaust valve technical specifications

The FFEVN-1050S, in EV16 stainless steel, is at the 32 mm standard size; the FFEVI-1052S (+1 mm) and FFEVI-1054S (+2 mm) are Inconel. All have a single lock groove and are fitted with the KPR-6T-ST collets.

Valve fitting

SUPERTECH requires its KPR-6T-ST collets with these single groove valves: do not refit the original collets.

The FFEVN-1050S-12 fits on reground seats; the FFEVI-1052S-12 and FFEVI-1054S-12 need exhaust seats machined to 33 or 34 mm.

Use the strip-down to replace the 12 exhaust valve stem seals and fit valves from the same set.

Technical guide

Our brand

SUPERTECH Performance, a Californian maker of racing valves and valvetrain parts for more than thirty years, offers for the Barra an EV16 stainless steel exhaust valve at standard size and two Inconel versions at +1 and +2 mm.

How to choose

The choice is about head size and material:

When reinforced valves become necessary

• Raised boost on an XR6 Turbo or FG Turbo
• Turbo conversion of a naturally aspirated Barra
• Camshafts with higher valve lift
• Cylinder head rebuild with burnt exhaust valves

Vehicle compatibility

OEM part number (exhaust valve):

Don't forget the inlet valves

With the Barra cylinder head off, think about the inlet valves and the valve stem seals too.