dieseldoc Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Anybody done valve stem seals with the heads still on the engine? I am assuming that if you put the piston at tdc and use the valve spring compressor in the tool kit, it shouldnt be to big of a deal. Never done seals with the heads still on before. Any tips or tricks are much appreciated, thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbriggs Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Could make an addapter to air up the cylinder thru a glow plug hole. I have also heard of using small, soft nylon rope. Push some rope down glo plug (or spark plug on gasser) hole, then bar engine around softly until rope pile holds up on valves.( I have never tried this but it seems logical) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Amacker Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Why are you doing seals? Oil consumption? Smoke? I worked on zillions of those engines and don't remember ever changing valve seals. Perhaps you should do a compression test/blowby test or rethink this repair. There's no intake manifold vacuum to draw oil into the cylinders. Chris- I used the rope truck many times in my younger days. It works fine, better than you'd think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dieseldoc Posted January 22, 2010 Author Share Posted January 22, 2010 The engine has been sitting on the shop floor for 3-4 years(capped and sealed up). I have a home for it but it needs to be resealed. I put oil in and filter on it and cranked it with a remote start switch on the floor several times for 30 seconds. I than did a compression test and have well over 400 psi in each cylinder and they are all within 5-10 psi of each other. I have stripped it to everything but pulling the heads for reseal. Once I got the exhaust manifolds off there was a fair amount of oil in the exhaust ports. I am thinking that odds are once it runs a while they will seal up.....However they came in the gasket kit, and I would prefer to do it now while it is convenient on the stand. Instead of after it is in chassis. Am just wondering if it is worth the effort....If you guys have had no troubles with them I maybe should take the chance. The engine is going into my personal 62 f-250, so it is not the end of the world if it is still an issue once it runs awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LARRY BRUDZYNSKI Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 If it was mine and sitting out of a truck, I would pull the head's relap the valves and reseal them. Why take a chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dieseldoc Posted January 22, 2010 Author Share Posted January 22, 2010 The engine was overhauled 20,000 miles before I got the truck it was in. The engine ran really well, sounded good and did not smoke much at all except when you got on it. The only thing that scared me about this engine(before the compression test), was the glow plug module failed and the guy was starting it with a bit of ether all the time. I pulled the engine because the truck was a pile of junk and I needed the transmission. I should probably pop the heads off anyway just to make sure he didnt do any unseen damage to anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LARRY BRUDZYNSKI Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 yep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Amacker Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 If you're looking for ether damage, you won't see it with the heads off. If you have 400PSI in the holes, chances are the ring lands aren't broken, which is common ether damage. I've dealt with LOTS of engines that sat for years, both gas and diesel, and ran fine after doing nothing to them but an oil change after being fired up. I'd put it in untouched, or go through it completely. What color smoke at WOT? Black, right? Donworryboutit. What CID? If it's a 7.3 put it in and run it, otherwise you could get caught up in the "while I'm in there" $yndrome. If it's a 6.9 you might want to do head gaskets or go through it. 6.9s were bad on HGs.... Make sure you use the later bullet style glow plug setup and OEM parts. The aftermarket stuff is cheaper but crap. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dieseldoc Posted January 22, 2010 Author Share Posted January 22, 2010 It is a 7.3, and with so few miles on it since overhaul. I am going to just run it. I always use OEM parts when it comes to glow plug systems. The extra expense is worth not having to mess with it again in 6 months. With the chassis I am putting it in, there is LOTS of room to work on it. In the event there is an issue. Thanks for the input guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blown99 Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 If it is on the floor, you could mount it on a stand then rotate it upside down. You won't have to worry about the valves falling into the cylinder! I too worked on millions of these. I don't ever recall needing to do valve seals on any of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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