Bob Teague recently wrote about seat material ideally having a Rockwell hardness #s in the range of 40-50.

I am about to put custom seats into new aluminum heads and come to find out that the big $ copper beryllium seats I bought are pretty soft. Too soft according to the Teague on tech article.

Some specifics;

Running on 91 pump gas, 10 to 1 compression
Stainless 2.35" intakes, Inconel 1.88" exhausts (read heavy)
Fuel Injected.
closed cooling
Heavy spring rates

So what is the consensus on the best material?

Eddie? Other experienced Marine engine builders?

BTW the Martin Wells Copper Beryllium seats have a Rockwell hardness of 37 but a wear rating equal to 53.

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I'm not an engine builder, but I can say that the difference in a Rockwell hardness of 37 - 40 is really nothing. I worked in a heat treat factory for years. Further, if they've engineered the seats to have an impact rating of 37, but a wear rating of 53 I would tend to think that they would seat better and last longer than most seals.

I'm not endorsing anything, but from a metrological standpoint they sound like good seats.