Just finished with 5 months of earthwork, pulled the head on my 12G grader (3306) to see about excessive oil consumption, the valves are all white. It did not use coolant. Looking for a cause, the pistons look normal. Anybody have a clue?

I'd guess deposits of some sort, maybe from burnt oil. The valves are likely to run hotter than any other part because there's less cooling - heat transfer is either along the stem or through the seat, in either case a much longer path than the rest of the head/cylinder/piston, and during the time it's open you're limited to just conduction along the stem. When the seat/guide wear you potentially get less contact area and hence even worse cooling - ie hotter valve heads.

I wouldn't worry about it excessively but would check the valve guides and seats - always worth doing when the head is off anyway.

Sent the head off for rebuild, intake manifold was oily inside we think from guide wear, I've never seen valves look like that but I'm not a mechanic either, liners look good, still has cross hatch hone marks visible.

By your statement you" did not use coolant" does that mean you were using raw water with high calcium content? or is that a typo and you meant to say "did not lose coolant?"

Guess I always thought black valves meant running rich, brown was oil usage, and white could be a result of a efficient running engine. Or could be caused by additives in fuel.

With your note of excessive oil consumption, usually shows up or varies between cylinders. I am surprised that from the picture all the valves seem identical. Or if that's true valve guides they would all have to leak the same to achieve the same color per each cylinder. Perhaps it's just the material the valves are made from.

I am not familiar with the 12G to be exact but have seen oil in intake from cracked head, worn turbo, coolers. None of these may relate to your equipment.

Was the excessive oil consumption reflected in smoke, blow by, leaks, or no sign at all?

With a good head shop they should be able to dip the head, magna Flux for cracks, flow the head, and check it out for excessive wear in valves or guides.

I am sure someone will chime in who has dealt with this issue in the past.

This not unusual on modern engines, usually on high performance/high horsepower units, although this is the first I have ever seen with all valves so uniformly white. Heat is probably the main cause and if there is poor contact due to carbon build -up on the seats there will be poor heat loss in the valves, test and overhaul the head, refit and put it back to work.

How many hours on the turbo? Worn valves and guides will show excessive vapor and blueish smoke from engine breather.

"Old wrote:

By your statement you" did not use coolant" does that mean you were using raw water with high calcium content? or is that a typo and you meant to say "did not lose coolant?"

I never had to add coolant, Cat ELC 50/50 is what's in the system

"Rome wrote:

How many hours on the turbo? Worn valves and guides will show excessive vapor and blueish smoke from engine breather.

Non turbo, naturally aspirated

The only time a turbocharged engine can suck oil through the intake guides is at idle. Any time the turbo is making boost, manifold pressure will push oil back up the guide. ..As for the white valves, that's just a little bit weird-some additive in the fuel maybe? Intake and exhaust are not usually the same color. ..