# Replacing Valve stem seals, DIY?



## DBVeeDB (Aug 3, 2007)

Hello all, 

Im basically making this thread to get some pointers on my weekend project. Replacing the valve stem seals in my AWP. I have had osme oil burning issues on my motor after long periods of idle. I have a grand new 3076r and the hosuings (int +exh) are dry, DP and ic piping are also dry, and it ONLY smokes after sitting at a light of when I come to a stop after long crusing times. Compression is at ~180psi cold, hot, wet and dry. Motor was honed an re ringed about 5k ago. Catch can is dry and pcv has been blowing dry air since the warmer months. This leads me to believe oil is getting into the cylinders from the top. Oil consumption is not terrible, but the smoke is oil smoke. it smokes the most after first start up when i back out my driveway. 

So, I am planning on doing this with the head on, I will be using shop air and a valve to keep pressure in the cylinder to prevent valves from dropping, and i know to put each cylinder at TDC when doing this. I also know to buy 20 seals. But what else do I need to know before taking this one on? I also have access to the valve spring tool. 

Its my first time going into a head, I have only replaced HG's and swapped heads before, but nothing internal. Any tips/tricks some of the gurus have? 

Thanks, 

Devin


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## notldubber (May 3, 2008)

I just finsihed doing this job to my girlfriends AWP. She's running Revo stage 3 with a k03s. 

Just tear the head off and replace all of the gaskets for the head. This way you get to see the condition of your block aswell. 

I normally work on vr6 engines so the intake valves i had to job out for assembly. They are way to small to work on. 

All in all parts were, $170 for gaskets, $30 coolant, and a bit of time. 

You will have to get your valves polished because I bet your going to have tonnes of oil purched onto the stem/seat area.


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## DBVeeDB (Aug 3, 2007)

i just did the HG not even 500 mi ago, because i thought/was told that was the issue, this is why i dont want to take the head off. :/ 

then that means more headbolts, another headgasket, tensioner, fluids, etc. regardless, can you run torugh the prodecure for getting the head apart? is it as simple as unbolting cams and popping stuff out?


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## notldubber (May 3, 2008)

you dont have to replace the tensioner. If it is new just lock it in with a 5mm bolt and pin.


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## 2jetta1golf (May 10, 2008)

I just rebuilt a head for an aww that experienced timing belt failure... Naturally i had the head off the car, and after doing it, I would never imagine attempting the seals with the head on. Of course it's possible, but with the amount of time spent in awkward positions and the r&r of the cams, lifters, springs, keepers being a pain... to me it is worth the extra cost. I can totally appreciate the idea to work around the extra expense, if you can pull it off, more power to ya. 
hope it works out


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## [email protected] (Jan 2, 2009)

It can definitely be done. I use these long tweezers from harbor freight on the intake keepers. IIRC the pair with a 45 degree bent tip works great to get in there. You'll need one of the valve spring compressors which bolts to the head surface. 

It shouldn't be too hard. Don't get discouraged after the first intake valve- it takes like 30 minutes of swearing to figure out "your" method to do them, then 2-3 minutes each after that. 

You might want to cover the portions of the head with some blue shop towels so that if you accidentally launch a keeper, you won't go insane looking for it down in the bottom of the head around the springs / oil drains / etc.


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## 2jetta1golf (May 10, 2008)

in addition to pete's comment, i used a small telescopic magnetic pick up tool for the valve keepers. comes in handy once the valve spring is compressed and starts to reveal the valve keeper. i found it helpful, especially after sending 2 keepers across my garage.


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## DBVeeDB (Aug 3, 2007)

thanks for the hlep guys, i can just see it now, things flying all over my garage, in my eyes etc. Pete, I already have the long needle nose, I figured thats what id have to use, but thanks for the tip of the 45* angle. ill need to pick that one up. ANd i have a tool from a vw friend whos letting me borrow it :thumbup: 

At what point do I send air into the the cylinder, and how much psi? lastly, what is the order of things that comes off.. Cam bracket, cam, lifter, x, x, x. 
thanks again.


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## 2jetta1golf (May 10, 2008)

In terms of pressure, I don't know what the best psi to use on that engine.. I do know however that many domestic engines (350's, 302's) are usually pressurized in the 60-90 psi range. 

In terms of removal of parts: 

1) valve cover 
2) those two little plastic oil shields 
3) cam caps: follow the sequence detailed in a manual, mark location and direction of each 
4) use remove tension on cam tensioner 
5) remove cams 
6) lifters ( best removed with magnetic pick up tool) 
7) now pressurize cylinder 
8) get your handy valve spring compressor and remove all springs, keepers, retainers 
9) remove stem seal and replace. 
10) move to next cyl. 

just be sure to take your time, mark the cam caps, the timing chains, lifters 

i used a system of I-1 to I-12 for marking the intake lifters. and E-1 to E-8 for the exhaust.. 

never hurts to take pics before removing another layer.


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## DBVeeDB (Aug 3, 2007)

Got my tool yesterday, just gotta find the seals this week and ill be starting this on the weekend. thanks for the help 2k, I appreciate it


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## DBVeeDB (Aug 3, 2007)

ill be starting this tongiht, so thank again for all the help, 

Can i do one piston at a time to help keep things organized? or is there a reason to take it all off, replace all seals, and then put everyting back in? Id like to keep the least amount of valvetrain stuff sitting aroun my garage as possible. is there anything stopping me from taking apart cylinders 1+4, reassembling, then doing 2+3?

-Devin


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## DBVeeDB (Aug 3, 2007)

Update, in case anyone cares/is reading this.

Got the seals replaced this weekend. the begining went smoothly, vc came off, clamped the tnesioner marked my belts and got the intake mani off. Marked my cam chain and grabbed the tensioner. must of over tightened the tensioner (i was expecting it to compres more) which ended up stripping the threads on the tensioner bolt. Then, the cam bearing caps, i broke torx bits on the bolts, a previous owner must have had headwork done, these things would not come off without the use of an impact driver. 

Cams and tensioner came out as ONE, and i arrranged all the bearing caps on a diagram. the next day i spent 2 hours trying to find something I could use to get air into the cylinder, my hose was too thick to get into the spark plug area, but we managed to modify my buddys compression tester and get it to work

60-65psi kept everything up just fine

SOme of the valves would get stuck and when pushiing them down with the tool you got an eye opening shreek of air shooting out the intake ports, (and ehaus tports would spin my turbo haha) But we found that just tapping them fast would break them loose. Little magnets work WONDERS for the keeper, retainer, and spring removal, and I used a valve stem seal plier set from harbor, these grabbed the entire circumfrence of the seal and allowed us to pull stright up, and push stright down. By far the hardest part of the job was installing keepers on the exhuast side and middle valve of the intake side. 

My old seals did not show any signs of damage, but they dint indeed look worn, they were much wider compared to the new units, which was to be expected. Seeing as my smoke issue was not too persisitnet, im hoping this was the cause of my slow leak. in a few days ill turn her over and hopefully the burnign oil issue will be taken care of. 
-
My first time going into a head was a bit nerveracking but a great learning experience, and wasnt as hard as i thought it would be. Thanks everyone for yourhelp, and if needed I can write up some steps for others, but i didnt really take pictures, hands were too oily for that. 

-Devin


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## EF9Si (Dec 12, 2003)

Thanks to my huge biceps for compressing that valve springs, whew!!!!


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## DBVeeDB (Aug 3, 2007)

Hahah, how could i forge tmy jacked recruits RJ, Jake, Page, and D that came and helped out. RJ.. i dont think we could of done this without Jonny Cash and the ring of fire....


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## EF9Si (Dec 12, 2003)

Down, down, down, the ring of fire!!!LOL! Haha! Now lets get her back on the road.. I hope your blue smoke is gone..


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## klutch belt (Apr 8, 2005)

did your blue smoke go away???


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## matt_p_22 (Apr 6, 2010)

so what do you need to buy to do this job? seals, head gasket/ bolts what else do I need?


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## slow_boy (Jul 11, 2006)

I'd love to see a follow up.


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## Alec's TT (Jan 28, 2013)

I had the same issue. 2 frankenturbos later and 3 sets of valve seals, one set done by an engine machine shop, i called it a cracked head. Oil would pool on top of my valves. New head, case closed.


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## radlynx (Jan 4, 2007)

Looks like the car did not start after that. there was no update. LOL!


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