The matter of ensuring that valve-stem lubrication is sufficient has two main benefits. First, any friction between stem and guide creates energy that is necessarily subtracted from crankshaft output power and converted to heat. Minimising this is clearly a desirable aim. Second, if the lubrication is sufficient, we minimise the rate of wear of the valve guide and valve. There are a number of surface treatments that aim to reduce friction and make the stem less susceptible to wear, and...