Just a fun fact. My old Dodge van had a hole in the top of bellhousing so you could time it from the rear with the doghouse cover off. Timing marks must have been on the torque converter.
I know this is an old thread:
Running without hardened seats long enough and you could drop a valve and destroy your engine.
You end up with less and less spring pressure and run the risk of pounding the valve through the retainer.
I can provide pictures but don't have the pictures here.
Valve...