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Replacing valve seals without removing head

1K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  kakarot 
#1 ·
My 94 1.8L swap is burning oil, and I'm pretty sure the vast majority of it is the valve seals.

I'd like to replace them, but if I have to take the head off, I'd rather just pull the engine out and to a full rebuild.

This isn't a daily driver, so even if it's slower than pulling the head, that's fine. I just can't think of a good way to get the keepers / retainers on and off with the head on.
 
#2 ·
there are a couple ways of doing it:
1. get an air compressor and a fitting that is the same thread pattern as a spark plug, use that to keep the valves up
2. stuff a cloth down the spark plug hole. make sure you can get it back out.
 
#4 ·
you could do valve seal replacement while engine is assembled. to keep the valves from droping into the cylinder, bring engine to TDC and do valves on 1 and 4 cyl, then rotate to BDC and do cyl 2 and 3. Careful not to drop the valve spring retainers, use something magnetic to catch them as you remove. clog all the holes around the work area.
 
#5 ·
Yeah, I know to keep the cylinders at TDC and pressurize to keep the valves up, I was more worried about getting the keepers in and out with the head on. Seems a bit silly. Oh well.
 
#6 ·
not at all, the keepers/locks are very sleazy things. just have to be very careful. you need small tweezers, small flat screwdriver, plastic/wooden stick, Vaseline, towels/rags, long nose pliers, and some more odd things to make it a simplified job.

When I did the valve seals I did not bother with preasurizing the CC, and just let the valves rest on the piston.
 
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