Valve Seals?

[Eastcoaster]

I have been working on my bikes for the past 2 months after being completely submerged by sandy I have the one with the least damage running but it appears the valve seals are bad. It smokes for a while then clears off but when parked oil drips from the exhaust connection at the head. Is this an impossible job? Should I move on on to the next bike and put this on aside at least I can ride it or try to replace the seals?

[oldyam80sg]

Hello-cant help you there but welcome! I'm in Hackettstown-North NJ.Nice to see people from the Garden state on here!

[DGXSER]

Replacing the valve seals involves removing the head generally. You will need to pull the valve springs out, which might be able to be done without pulling the head, but I would not know how on these engines. Once you have the valves out, it is a fairly simple project.

[mack]

If you've got

a valve spring compression/removal tool a new gasket for the head and valve cover handy, the whole job from start to finish (Head off to head on) is about four hours if it's your first time. The seals will pull right off the top of the valve guides with a set of needle nose pliers. Pop the new ones on and reassemble. Great time to check the valve seats and do the valve shimming as well.

[Eastcoaster]

just watched a clip on utube where a guy used a rope in the cylinder to hold the valve up and replaced the seals. Anyone ever try that?

[DGXSER]

I have used compressed air in a cylinder to hold the valves up while I changed seals, on a cage engine that is. The valve spring compressor will work on the valves with the head on the engine on most cars.

From my personal experiences, I have not seen a tool that fits these valves to remove the spring without removing the head. There is lots I do not know, so it may be out there, but I have not seen it yet.

[Eastcoaster]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_9Y8Y2vEXw


Think it is worth a try?

[Schming]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_9Y8Y2vEXw


Think it is worth a try?

Yah, just make sure the cylinder your working on is on the compression stroke else you may bend a valve

For me though, if I'm into it that far I'd pull the head and go the whole 9 yards with a piston and head clean up, valve inspection & lapping, spring measurement and the seals.

Seems to me, if the seals are bad all other parts may need at least cleaned and checked.

[mack]

Tear down

I'd tear it down, particularly in your case where the motors were submerged.

[Eastcoaster]

Going to pull the head

This bike was in the house during the storm I had just picked it up recently and was working on it. I got about 2 feet in the house only got the lower gears and drive parts of the engine, trans, rear and brakes got soaked. The cylinders were Ok I was working on a carb rebuild at the time. I think I am going to pull the head and do it right. The others were my good running bikes in the garage completely submerged 5 feet I have been taking them apart piece by piece but it will be a long time before they are together. Everything is soaked on oil I got the engines to turn but a major job

[DGXSER]

That is a cool tool and it seems to work. The way it works it should also work on our bikes. Our valves are down inside the hole the buckets ride in, but that tool should still work.

It is true, to do that work you will need to remove the cams. Once your that far, it would simply be pulling the nuts and lifting the head off. It will probably require a new head gasket, cheapest alternative I know for that is the complete gasket sets.

[MaximPhil]

That is a cool tool and it seems to work. The way it works it should also work on our bikes. Our valves are down inside the hole the buckets ride in, but that tool should still work.

It is true, to do that work you will need to remove the cams. Once your that far, it would simply be pulling the nuts and lifting the head off. It will probably require a new head gasket, cheapest alternative I know for that is the complete gasket sets.

Unless it is a very low miles engine or recently done I would think about a new Cam chain too.
Phil

[DGXSER]

Unless it is a very low miles engine or recently done I would think about a new Cam chain too.
Phil

Certainly not a bad idea at that point Phil. One of those "might as well" things.

[Eastcoaster]

Not A bad Idea

not a bad idea it is a 32k survivor bike but since it might be my only bike for quite some time it would not hurt to get a new chain. Think I will do a compression check before I get started on the tear down just to be sure its good. It runs great just the initial 5 minute smoke and oil out the pipes when parked

[DGXSER]

I would check the compression, and if you have the tools maybe even a leak down test if the numbers look suspicious. Of course, if your going to need to do piston - ring work, now would be the time as well.