Head Rebuild

[Beppe]

Hey guys i m in the middle of a automatic to manual conversion. and the tranny is out. i think i m gonna pull the engine also. so in the middle of all this you know how it goes you replace one thing and u have to do something else. i was thinking of getting a complete valve job done. b/c sometimes i blow blue smoke and sometimes i don't. so if it was rings? i would do it all the time correct? anyways if it just valve stem seals. do u think i should just change them or get the whole head done? what do you guys think? necessary?

[btak]

It all depends on how much cash you have i just got my head rebuilt and i only put new valves in and new seals and i had a shop do it and it cost about 300 not including parts. If you take it to a shop just have them look it over and call you if something needs to be replaced.

[Beppe]

yea this project is kinda takin up my cash flow. so i might just hold off on the head rebuild. till i m ready to forge the motor and turbo it. and just change the valve stem seals. b/c i would have to buy a head gasket and head bolts and all that good stuff. plus the head job is anywhere form 150-175 pretty cheap. but why do things twice. now i want to change the stem seals on the car. how much psi do i use to fill the cylinder to hold the valve in? thanks

[KazooGS-T]

You are going to have a very hard time trying to do that. It will be MUCH, MUCH easier to take the head off and just do it right the first time.

[Beppe]

Why is it a method that don't work well? its written in the Haynes manual so i thought it was a preferred method instead of taking the head off i guess not

[bullettdsm]

Originally Posted by Beppe

Why is it a method that don't work well? its written in the Haynes manual so i thought it was a preferred method instead of taking the head off i guess not

Not that it doesn't work well. It works just fine. It is just more difficult to do. I'm presuming that they talk about filling the cylinder with air (you can also do the rope method of filling the cylinder with rope/string. You are basically making it so the valves don't drop down into the cylinder). Now you have to set something up to compress the spring so you can get to the seal. Whereas access is much easier (and compression much simpler) with the head off.

MB

[nedmonds86]

You can't exactly just buy new valves and slap them on. And there is rarely a reason to replace yours unless they are bent or a full custom setup. Just take the head to the shop and have them all reseated. They put a very fine rubbing compound where the valve seals with head and it creates a like-new seal. It only costs about 50-100 bucks. I just had mine done, outcome was awsome.

Best of luck.

Edit: @bulletdsm, yeah haynes and chiltons try to get us to do the most retarded and complicated things sometimes, lol. Like changing a clutch in the haynes. No thank you.

[KazooGS-T]

You can just change out the seals, it's not that hard. And a treament for cracked seals? Sorry, but I don't believe that. When you take your head to any reputable machine shop and get a "valve job" they will replace the seals for you automatically unless requested otherwise.

[Beppe]

yea i got a quote for 150-175 for the rebuild. and i would have to give them the seals and they would put them in. i know enough bout engines and other things that i kno u cant just slap new valves on. but the motor and tranny is out. this project is getting quite costly, so i think i might just change out the valve stem seals for the time being. is there anything u guys recommend for cleaning the valves yourself?

[Locke]

Seafoam or MCCC to clean the valves and combustion chamber, after the engine is running.

[Beppe]

yea i saw alot about seafoam. now that i have the head off. and i am gonna change the valve stem seals is there anything i can use on a dremel tool or drill that wont hurt the valves but get the carbon off? someone told me i can use a brass brush?

[Locke]

That'll work, just don't get over-zealous with it.