Do not touch the valve surface with your bare hands - Use gloves or pre-lube the valve with engine oil (this will reduce the risk of corroding the coating). Never use a lapping compound on a titanium valve. machined- This is to assure a 100% valve-to-seat contact, and to free the seat from the hardened shell.

Should valves be lapped?

Although some seats may need two or three times of lapping, it is not necessary or good to over-lap the valves. It is unlikely, but possible, to remove too much, and doing so will ruin the valve seat. If you are unable to achieve a consistent grey ring, the seats are probably worn out and will require cutting.

Do titanium valves need lash caps?

Lash caps-v-pressed-in hard tips:

Pressed-in hard tips are also commonly used to protect the tip ends of titanium valves, and engine builders are divided in their opinions as to which one is superior. Kaase remarked, “I generally use lash caps as my own experience suggests there is less to go wrong.