polarisman14 Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 Hey all, If it isn't one thing with this car it's another, but eventually I will have replaced everything and it'll run well for a little while (until I gotta start replacing it all over again). Anyway, the latest problem is smoking out the exhaust once the car warms up. It smells oily, no coolant in the oil or vice versa. I pulled the plugs to get a read on them and do a compression test and this is what I found. All 4 cylinders have compression around 120 warm which is perfectly acceptable, but the porcelain on cylinder 3 had some carbon buildup on it (all 4 plugs were wearing nicely but this was the only one that was slightly out of the ordinary versus the other 3) and when I pulled the plug out of that cylinder there was some smoke coming out of it (and there wasn't with the other 3). Oil pressure is still nice and high, about 2/3 to 3/4 up the gauge at warm idle, so no issues there. Ran the symptoms past a couple other car guys and they suggested valve seals or oil seal ring on the piston itself. Where it isn't affecting compression and the car isn't really using oil quickly I'd like to lean toward valve seals. What do all of you guys think? If it's the valve seals, I read a few threads in here about replacing them with the head in the car, I just didn't see any information about how to do it, what tools were necessary, etc. If I buy the seal kit from DAD (which I plan on doing) it includes the installation sleeve but I have never replaced valve seals so I have no idea what else I have to do or what tools I need. Please let me know as I am trying to do this on the cheap, per usual. Just want to enjoy the car for more than 5 minutes without something breaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RF600 Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 The valve seals are not too bad to replace. With the head on the car, put air into the cylinder. Keeps the valves from dropping. You will have to get a tool to depress the springs while you pull the keepers out. Slowly let the pressure off the spring, and remove the spring then the seal. That is if you do the seals. I'm sure others will respond to let you know if that is what is needed. While you have it apart you might want to clean the lifters. Get the crap out of them and repump them up. I forget what exactly it's called. There are some threads on cleaning the lifters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88-cnqst-tsi Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 this guy has good insructions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarquestRescue Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 Eye ball the seals, almost every stock head i have seen that had a "performance cam" slapped in it had mashed or loose seals. I do not recall if you have one. That said those cars primary smoked on cold start up. The ones i had that smoked after warm up had bad oem turbos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotStock88 Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 this guy has good insructions that was cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88-cnqst-tsi Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 that was cool.yaa especially the compressed air to keed the valves from falling down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markhansenconquest Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 (edited) if the seals are 25 years old there no good!!!!!! (USE THE ROPE TRICK ) stuff quarter inch cotton or plastic rope in cyl till no more rope can enter cyl ... remove valve spring use vicegrips to remove seal and lube new valve seal and put on with deep socket ..14 mm i think .....it must only touch the outer metal of the seal ..... .Make sure it snaps on replace spring go on to next ... make sure valve keeper are locked in .....get the ( VITRON SEALS) autozone 16.00 bucks.... Edited October 8, 2012 by markhansenconquest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polarisman14 Posted October 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 Thanks for the input guys. Even if that isn't the main issue it'll be good to do that as preventative maintenance anyway so that I won't have to worry about it in the future. I believe my car has a NJV head but it's been a while since I took the valve cover off...Now may be a good time to do that too. I do have a TEP street/strip cam that I bought from Cyberquest but I believe it's just a stock regrind. I also read in one of the threads that it's perfectly acceptable to put the piston whose valves you're working on at TDC and that will be sufficient in keeping you from dropping the valve down inside the combustion chamber. It will drop a little but since clearances there are minimal you can still get it back in place with 0 issues. Can someone confirm this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88-cnqst-tsi Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 I also read in one of the threads that it's perfectly acceptable to put the piston whose valves you're working on at TDC and that will be sufficient in keeping you from dropping the valve down inside the combustion chamber. It will drop a little but since clearances there are minimal you can still get it back in place with 0 issues. Can someone confirm this?sound about right but im 100% sure on the space inside at tdc but like te other guy said just pack some rope in there to stop the falling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott87star Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 I also read in one of the threads that it's perfectly acceptable to put the piston whose valves you're working on at TDC and that will be sufficient in keeping you from dropping the valve down inside the combustion chamber. It will drop a little but since clearances there are minimal you can still get it back in place with 0 issues. Can someone confirm this? Yup, had to do that as my flatty had the #1 spark plug stuck in there when I replaced the seals, if the piston is all the way up the valve won't drop very far and the new seal has enough traction to hold the valve up while you put the springs and keepers in. Did the other three with compressed air holding the valves up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polarisman14 Posted October 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 Sweet. Will driving it in the meantime cause any damage or just more smoke? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88-cnqst-tsi Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 Sweet. Will driving it in the meantime cause any damage or just more smoke?you will just burn more oil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natallica Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 Interesting...looks like something I should think about doing too.I need a few new tools to play with though -N8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polarisman14 Posted October 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 Sweet. Sounds good to me guys, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polarisman14 Posted May 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2013 OK, bought the Fel-Pro seals and just ordered a universal overhead valve spring compressor to get that portion of the job done. What I need to know is what I need to put the keepers back in place. I know there are special tools to do this but I was hoping I may be able to just compress the valve spring with the tool, put it down, put the retainer on, put some marine grease on the keeper groove on the valve, and stick the halves of the keepers on. Then i can slowly release the spring pressure with the tool and it should lock back in place...right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad Posted May 25, 2013 Report Share Posted May 25, 2013 Thats the right way.^^^^ I suggest that you disassemble your rockers assembly and completely clean the shafts and rockers, small amount of dirt will hurt your lifters. Dad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyWadd Posted May 25, 2013 Report Share Posted May 25, 2013 Rope trick I like . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polarisman14 Posted May 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2013 Dad, I was thinking of disassembling the rockers but mine are the adjustable mechanical ones anyway. It's definitely a NJV head as it has the landings where the jet valves would be are barren and not plugged. Learn something new about this car everyday. No idea what valvetrain is in it other than the TEP street/strip cam I put in. While I'm at it, what should I be running for plug gap? Looking to break the 350whp mark once my new turbine housing and retune happens, I believe I'm currently running .030" but was thinking of closing it to .025" to make sure the spark doesn't blow out. Planning on running about 25 psi boost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted May 25, 2013 Report Share Posted May 25, 2013 best thing to do while your there is to replace those oem valve springs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polarisman14 Posted May 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2013 Yeah, I'm just all cleaned out financially for a while. Just getting anything I can get done that I've already purchased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted May 26, 2013 Report Share Posted May 26, 2013 well if you can't afford $40 . best hold off doing any thing until you can get the new springs also for you 5 spd guys,, placing the trans in 5th gear after the piston is at TDC will hold it there , set parking brake another tip for you that don't know,,the keepers are sort of stuck in place and can be tight to get loose,,a gentle tap on the retainer plate will loosen the keepers ,,do this before placing spring compressor on the springs and most important,,FIRST thing you do is place a rag over the front of the head so nothing can fall down into the timeing cover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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