Reinforced exhaust valves Fiat Bravo Brava 1.6 16V 182A4 182A6

Fiat engines covered

Fiat fits this 1.6 litre, 16-valve, twin overhead camshaft engine to the Bravo and Brava from 1995 to 2001, then to the Marea and the Multipla: 90 hp as the 182A6.000, 103 to 116 hp as the 182A4.000.

On the exhaust side the 182A6.000 has 8 original valves, part number 46 461 209, with a 30 mm head, a 7 mm stem and a 102.4 mm length. They let out the hottest gases of the cycle, and their thermal load climbs as soon as the engine is tuned or held for long near the top of the rev range.

FERREA reinforced exhaust valves

An exhaust valve sits in gases that have just burnt: its head reaches 760 to 870 °C on a naturally aspirated engine like this one, and exceeds 1,000 °C when turbocharged. The seat removes about 75 % of that heat, the guide about 20 %. An EV8 family steel keeps 550 MPa at 600 °C but drops to 300 MPa at 800 °C: the head overheats, fatigues, distorts and the seal is lost.

FERREA makes these valves in its 6000 series, in EV8 stainless steel, in two versions: standard size, or with a head enlarged by 1 mm.

The +1 mm version takes the head from 29.7 to 30.7 mm, stem and length unchanged: the flow area grows, burnt gases leave faster and scavenging improves, with 10 to 12 cfm gained per millimetre of head, once the 8 exhaust seats are machined to that diameter.

Exhaust valve technical specifications

F6762 is the standard size, F6764 the head enlarged by 1 mm; 7 mm stem and 102.7 mm length for both.

Valve fitting

Before compressing the springs, make sure the collets lock exactly into the groove of the FERREA valves; replace any that are marked.

Fit new valve stem seals (original 4357028, 7581344 or 7500716) and check the clearance of each exhaust guide before fitting.

With the F6762 the exhaust seats are simply reground; the F6764 requires them to be machined to 30.7 mm.

Technical guide

Our brand

FERREA has designed racing valves since 1978, produced in Florida and Argentina. For the Fiat 1.6 16V, its 6000 series in EV8 stainless steel comes in standard size and +1 mm.

How to choose

Both versions share the same stem and length; only the head changes:

When reinforced valves become necessary

• Sharper camshafts or uprated springs
• Rev limit raised by the engine management
• Addition of a turbocharger or supercharger
• Hill climb, rally or track use
• Marked, burnt or leaking exhaust valves

Vehicle compatibility

OEM part number (exhaust valve): 46 461 209

Don't forget the inlet valves

While the cylinder head is being rebuilt, replace the inlet valves and the valve stem seals too.