I looked at my haynes manual & it said to send the head out to get a valve job done on it to change the valve seals! Where would I find a good step by step description or procedure for doing this by myself?

Thanks!!

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Michael Roth

1982 300TDT Wagon
1982 240D Euro!, 4spd manual-Parts car now, dead engine
88 Jeep Grand Wagoneer-fixing up for offroading
1989 Ford F150 (rust bucket) For Sale!
1953 Dodge B-4F, 1 1/2 ton Stake Bed (new restoration project)

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=17230&highlight=valve+seal+replacement

I did this last year on one of mine. I did not set the pistons at TDC, but instead inflated each cylinder one at a time with comressed air.
I am not sure which is harder to do, but I think it is a little more work to find TDC on each hole. However it is probably safer. The ony thing to add is to lock the rotation of the crank with each seal replacement. Just use some vise grips on the front balancer to keep it from turning. The rest is not that hard, but it can be time consuming. Best to have a good spring compressor to remove the valve springs.

The TDC method is much safer.... what would happen if your source of air went "Kaput"... LOL.... what do you trust more... air or aluminum.... ? if you are at TDC the valve CAN NOT fall into the combustion chamber.... anyone know how much trouble pulling a head would be Just because the valve fell into the chamber ? This is really not a reasonable question....Use the TDC method and worry about other stuff..... like being sure you find and use the plastic safety covers... and that you are absolutely sure you get the seal down as far as it is supposed to be... I think there are two sealing lips it has to get down over...

I think I would get some extras seals to have around. As Leathermang said you want to be sure they are down to the MAX as I wrecked a couple getting the feel of "the max":p

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

McRoth,

Sending out your head for a valve stem seal job is like sending out your rear axle to get your tires changed. You would have to remove the head: 10 times as much work as doing the job with the head on the engine. So much for Haynes.

Since you have a 4 cylinder engine, two pistons are up when two are down. So you have to rotate the engine only 180 degrees. The important thing is to keep the timing chain taught so you don't have to have to retime the engine.

This may sound like Rube Goldberg but I made some rubber straps from an innertube and wired them to the ceiling and the timing chain to keep the chain taught. That way I could turn the engine and the chain was always taught. You wouldn't see it done this way in a dealers shop, but it worked for me.

P E H

PEH, concerning your statement that " two pistons are up when two are down. So you have to rotate the engine only 180 degrees".
... Are you saying that with regards to doing the valve seals that the cam lobes will be in the proper positions with only one rotation of the engine 180 degrees ?