Another Cylinder Head Question

[GLPoomobile 958]

Got my spare 8v head apart now but I need some advice about valve guide wear as I've never stripped a head before.

 

I've checked the play on each valve in it's respective guide by wiggling it with my thumb and forefinger, which means the valve is about 1cm out of it's seat for me to be able to grip it. Using this method I have noticed that on all valves/guides they seem to have more play in the fore and aft movement (front to back of the head) as oppossed to the side to side movement (along the axis of the head). I have no idea how much play is generally considered OK. I'd say there is 0.5mm but it's really difficult to estimate. One valve did seem to have noticeably more play though and does concern me.

 

Also, one of the valves (IIRC it was the very last one at the dizzy end, so an exhaust valve) was very tight in the guide. You can move it in and out of the guide but it's not as free moving as the rest of them (the valve itself is fine in all the other guides). There was a fair bit of resistance towards the end of the stem as it I pulled it from the valve. The valve looks to be ok.

 

What should I do about this?

 

I really don't want to cut any corners with this car, and don't want to rebuild and fit the head knowing the valve guides are less than perfect, so I'm obviously going to have to look at taking it to a machinist to get the guides checked and replaced as necessary (and valves). But the fact is that I'm so skint that this is going to burn an even bigger hole in my pocket. But I have to get the head done to get the car through it's MOT before the tax runs out in July. But then I know the head was fine on my old 1.9 so a stem seal replacement would probably suffice!

 

Oh decisions decisions

[inferno 1]

why not take a trip to power units in hatfeild? he is very reasonable and would tell you what needs replacing if your unsure. does the haynes book of lies give you any indication of wear tolerences?

[GLPoomobile 958]

Didn't know about Power Units. Funnily enough I must walk right past their door every day as I go from the train station to work. I'll have to pop and have a word.

 

Hope he's not associated with Fairway Tyre Services though. Those f***ers royally pissed me off over my MOT last year!