matt gti78 0 Posted August 6, 2006 As the title is guys, does anyone have a guide you could email me to how to remove the valve seals without removing the head please. Thanks in advance. Matt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jim21070 2 Posted August 6, 2006 Matt, This is a bit of a Holy Grail.. Personally I don't think it can be done easily, if at all . It'll be near impossible to compress the valve springs to release the collets and even if this can be done, getting the seal off with the valve stem in the way will be a task. Needless to say you have to take the cam out and arrange some way to keep the valves up. Slip the head off and then you can do the job in comfort, easily and at the same time lap in the valves.. I reckon slipping the head off is quicker than trying to faff about without removing it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kate205gti 4 Posted August 6, 2006 (edited) ive got an idiots guide to removing and replacing valves if that would help? edit: probably not as it would mean removing the head anywys just ignore me Edited August 6, 2006 by kate205gti Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest CB-Dave Posted August 6, 2006 the only way I've ever seen it done with the head in situ was with an airline adaptor to spark plug thread jobbie, and what you did was compress the valve spring, take the collets off, pump the cylinder up to mega pressure so the valve didn't drop out, and gently take the seal out with a pair of needle nose pliers, slap the new one in, push it into place and put the valve spring and collets back... not easy, possibility for major fcuking up if you drop the valve and takes more dismantling with a bigger chance of losing bits than whipping the head off... if you take the head off you can give it a decoke too and you will be safe in the knowledge that the headgasket will be fresh and all the seals will be renewed. failing that you could try the wynns stop-smoke additive you can get from halfords, it might soften the seal up enough to lessen the smoke. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hengti 2 Posted August 6, 2006 Matt - i've not done this job myself, but have had a garage do it - it is perfectly possible to do and it's much cheaper than taking the head off. Think it cost me £160 last time i had it done. Check the search facility - there must be something about it on there somewhere Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PumaRacing 2 Posted August 6, 2006 As the title is guys, does anyone have a guide you could email me to how to remove the valve seals without removing the head please. The guide is very short. Don't even try! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest CB-Dave Posted August 6, 2006 Matt - i've not done this job myself, but have had a garage do it - it is perfectly possible to do and it's much cheaper than taking the head off. Think it cost me £160 last time i had it done. Check the search facility - there must be something about it on there somewhere £160 is a lot of money, it costs about £40 for a head set, £20 for a head skim and the rest is just labour... if we're really being anal add another £20 for a cambelt to be on the safe side and maybe £40 for a tensioner or so - that's £160 again but with the benefit of knowing nothing will blow a seal anytime soon! plus, I agree with Pumaracing, the guide *is* short! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PumaRacing 2 Posted August 7, 2006 (edited) Because the nasty German also broke down in Hungary today and only took one point away from Alonso's lead I'm in a magnanimous enough mood to pass on the pro engine builder's secret of getting stem seals off the guides easily. On engines where the seal is above the surface of the head (CVH, Mini, Pinto etc) everything is very easy. You can just flick them off with a screwdriver. Things become much harder once the guide is down inside a lifter bore. Harder still is where the guide has a lip at the top to engage with the rubber flutes inside the stem seal (Golf, Peugeot and many other engines). Having a proper pair of serrated stem seal pliers helps but isn't always the cure. You can still end up heaving away at the seal if it's really stuck on there and then you risk banging into the lifter bore and scratching it when the seal finally comes loose. I've also seen people crunch the top of the guide and either chip it or crush it by trying to use ordinary pliers which really aren't suitable for this at all. So how do the real pro's do it? Easy. Get a camping gas or similar type of small propane torch and burn the seals for 10 seconds or so. You don't need to melt them into a puddle of metal and you won't hurt the guide or head if you don't use the torch for too long. 10 seconds or so is enough to burn away the rubber inside the metal outer case or at least harden it so much it no longer grips the guide. You'll then find they just fall off with a light pull even if you only have ordinary pliers. Edited August 7, 2006 by PumaRacing Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hengti 2 Posted August 7, 2006 i appreciate that doing them with the head in situ isn't the preferred method - but it's a consideration that might appeal to someone who doesn't want to spend a fortune (possibly more than the car's worth) on the labour req'd to have the head off. fair enough if you can do it yourself and save yourself that cost. people do manage it fairly reliably, otherwise they wouldn't offer the service. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christopher 5 1 Cars Posted August 7, 2006 The guy who used to service our peugeots was a peugeot mechanic at a main dealer for 30 years. He changed the stem seals on my 1,9 Rallye (with XU engine) without taking the head off or using an airline. This is no old wives tale beacuse ... I watched him do this on teh road ouside my house. (was a few years back now). So what is the secret? A piece of string down the plug hole and a socket to give the valve cap a gentle tap. He changed the stem seals, camshaft seal and cambelt in two hours for the sum of £60. Magic.. Unfortunatly he has now moved to cornwall.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
