GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk4 => Topic started by: Jin_C on 10 September 2012, 14:31
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Hi all,
I have started to get a puff of blue smoke when I start up the car which leads me to believe that the valve stem seals are going. I want to change these myself before winter kicks in and working outside runs the risk of hypothermia and frostbite!
I need some advice on whether I should replace the seals with the head on or off.
I have read that removing the head when I don't really need to could mean I introduce the chance of having to get it re-skimmed so it fits with the new head gasket properly. Is this true, it doesn't sound logical?
If I do take the head off should I give the valves and underside a clean or will that mess with the tight seal that the carbon deposits create?
Is replacing the actual seals hard?
Thanks
Jinesh
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Buy another head, strip it all down and de-coke it. Let a shop skim it for you (£40-50) and do the rest yourself
Seals are just push pull off - push on.
valves seal themselves - they never came out the factory new carbonised up did they
Buy a lapping tool and paste (£5)
throw new head on the car with new gaskets etc
sell old head to recoup some monies
It means you have your car off the road for less time, its what i did for my vr6
Dont forget to buy headbolts.. youll probably need the right spline tool too, is it getting expensive yet? :grin:
I dont know how you time a 1.8t up so thats upto somebody else to shed some light
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Stem seals you need to remove the spring and retainer? pretty certain you do.
Id whip head off and get a shop to replace the seals and skim. New bolts and headgasket and put it back on.
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If you were closer I would do it for you, I normally charge £4 per valve stem seal. Best of luck though.
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Thanks for the help guys that's really helped.
I can take my time with getting the car back on the road. I don't need it in the week. So I will just work on the head that's on the car.
Leigh thats a good point about the valves sealing themselves but I'm guessing the bit you said about lapping answers my point about creating a good seal.
I already have the ribe bit head bolt tool from when I was originally going to take apart the last engine but ended up buying a new one. Timing shouldn't be an issue I can look at the bentley manual.
Spoke to an engine rebuilder in Bedford, he quoted £30 to replace the seals if I take the camshafts off myself. That seems decent if the going price according to rockmonkey69 is £80.
He also quoted another £40 to reskim, is that a decent price? I might as well get him to do the lapping as well if its all done for a good price.
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If the valves are kept in same place then no need to lap them in. Number them and same with the hydraulic buckets.
£40 to skim is fine.
£30 to rebuild the head is about right. thats what our local guy charges to us in the trade.
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If the valves are kept in same place then no need to lap them in. Number them and same with the hydraulic buckets.
£40 to skim is fine.
£30 to rebuild the head is about right. thats what our local guy charges to us in the trade.
Lapping them isnt needed but the stuff is cheap so i did it anyway, but i cleaned my valves and head back to shiney.
Stem seals you need to remove the spring and retainer? pretty certain you do.
Id whip head off and get a shop to replace the seals and skim. New bolts and headgasket and put it back on.
Yeah you need a valve removal tool for this (i managed to borrow one)
I Had nothing to lose so was a good technical exercise and now i have a spare head/cams/valves for whatever reason :smiley:
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I have called a couple of engine shops and they have both suggested that it could also be the valve guides that are on their way out.
Is this possible/common on an AGU head or are they just going for the upsell?
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the head should only need a skim if the car has over heated if not should be fine but i do have a head for sale cant remember what engine code tho :)
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212, What is the condition of the head you have?
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it came off an engine we stripped was running fine still has all valves in it aswel im in brixton sw9 mate got an r32 rear bumper if ur interested lol my no 07877001924
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if u wanna took a look at the head mate was meant to be in last post :)
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Doesnt stop it from being twisted due to removal etc.
For £30-40, is it really worth the mess on if its wrong?
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So I have the chance to pick up a refurbished head that has been skimmed and comes with valves , valve springs and collets.
Can I use the tappets, chain tensioner, chain and cams from my current head?
Would I need to move anything else across?
Apologies for the questions I'm new to this but I do want to learn instead of giving it to someone else
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Personally I'd use the valves ect that are original to the head.. in the specific order that they where removed. The way I see it, the tappets have worn themselves to that space they've been going up and down for X amount of miles.. I could be talking crap :grin: but it's piece of mind.
Can you not afford to have your car of the road for, say a fortnight?
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Leigh the new head comes with valves and springs that are matched to it.
I'm OK with having the car off the road its just the cost of new tappets that is the restricting factor.
I was hoping that since the tappets don't have to create a seal with the cylinder head like the valves do to stop gasses and oil it wouldn't be an issue.
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I think u will be ok using them as long as they was ok in ur old head can't see a problem there ?
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tappets wear to the head, don't change them unless you have to and then I would only replace with new.
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how on earth do you change the stem seals without removing the head? surely you need to remove the collet, spring, and retainer to get to the stem seal in the centre, which makes it pretty impossible with the head in place!
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it was doable on the old CVH, you had to work with the pistons at TDC though or you lost the valve lol
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So I picked up a refurbished head inc new valves, guides and seals for £80
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6YfJEOOeBYax0BflhsRtQs5IraxAqgCvYXyvNbJrou8?feat=directlink (https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6YfJEOOeBYax0BflhsRtQs5IraxAqgCvYXyvNbJrou8?feat=directlink)
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LwH_d-EMTfXbm_FvuAJGHc5IraxAqgCvYXyvNbJrou8?feat=directlink (https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LwH_d-EMTfXbm_FvuAJGHc5IraxAqgCvYXyvNbJrou8?feat=directlink)
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/c_6PlyulZEFLM_PUMGbkwc5IraxAqgCvYXyvNbJrou8?feat=directlink (https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/c_6PlyulZEFLM_PUMGbkwc5IraxAqgCvYXyvNbJrou8?feat=directlink)
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kkbv77H-SiFra_bmbi9EGM5IraxAqgCvYXyvNbJrou8?feat=directlink (https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kkbv77H-SiFra_bmbi9EGM5IraxAqgCvYXyvNbJrou8?feat=directlink)
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_t15EQry0M88ql1lOHeU0M5IraxAqgCvYXyvNbJrou8?feat=directlink (https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_t15EQry0M88ql1lOHeU0M5IraxAqgCvYXyvNbJrou8?feat=directlink)
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/REohwX0Q5WAMPOsZZg4xVc5IraxAqgCvYXyvNbJrou8?feat=directlink (https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/REohwX0Q5WAMPOsZZg4xVc5IraxAqgCvYXyvNbJrou8?feat=directlink)
Going to move across the missing parts from the current head along with all new seals and gaskets and see how it goes.
I'm also thinking of replacing the pads on the chain tensioner since its all going to be taken apart anyway.