L
LooPrEvil
The valve stem oil seals needed replacing on my Ford, which can be done without removing the cylinder head.
I bought the special tool required (£5 on Ebay), removed the rocker cover and started on cylinder one valves. No problem, and moved on to cylinder two, no problem and moved on to cylinder 3.
I did the inlet valve ok, moved onto the outlet valve, removed the rocker, attached the tool, compressed the valve, removed the collet, then s..h..i..t, the valve fell into the cylinder (I had forgot to bring the piston to TDC to prevent this from happening - I had removed all spark plugs to allow me to put a rod into the combustion chamber to feel when the pistons were close to TDC, this also aids manually turning the crank with a socket).
I closed the bonnet and when in for a cup of tea, and called myself a few choice names, as now I was going to have to remove the cylinder head.
Firstly I removed the exhaust manifold from the head, and noticed I could see the valve stood upright through the cylinders exhaust port. I turned the crank by hand until I could feel the valve becoming trapped between the piston and the cylinder head, then backed it off slightly.
Then I got a small telescopic magnet and pulled the valve so that a could see the end of it when looking down through the valve guide. It was possible to get the valve and the hole almost aligned, then I turned the crank, again by hand, hoping that the valve would push into its hole. Unfortunately this did not work because the valve guide is on a slight angle to vertical. I realigned the valve and guide again and then sent the telescopic magnet down the valve stem hole, and after a couple of attempts successfully managed to pull the valve back into its guide. Quickly I turned the crank to prevent the valve falling back into the cylinder!!
I completed the remaining valves and reattached removed components.
Job done. From zero to hero in 15 minutes!
Was that lucky or what? What are the chances of retrieving that valve, let alone it standing upright in the cylinder?
I bought the special tool required (£5 on Ebay), removed the rocker cover and started on cylinder one valves. No problem, and moved on to cylinder two, no problem and moved on to cylinder 3.
I did the inlet valve ok, moved onto the outlet valve, removed the rocker, attached the tool, compressed the valve, removed the collet, then s..h..i..t, the valve fell into the cylinder (I had forgot to bring the piston to TDC to prevent this from happening - I had removed all spark plugs to allow me to put a rod into the combustion chamber to feel when the pistons were close to TDC, this also aids manually turning the crank with a socket).
I closed the bonnet and when in for a cup of tea, and called myself a few choice names, as now I was going to have to remove the cylinder head.
Firstly I removed the exhaust manifold from the head, and noticed I could see the valve stood upright through the cylinders exhaust port. I turned the crank by hand until I could feel the valve becoming trapped between the piston and the cylinder head, then backed it off slightly.
Then I got a small telescopic magnet and pulled the valve so that a could see the end of it when looking down through the valve guide. It was possible to get the valve and the hole almost aligned, then I turned the crank, again by hand, hoping that the valve would push into its hole. Unfortunately this did not work because the valve guide is on a slight angle to vertical. I realigned the valve and guide again and then sent the telescopic magnet down the valve stem hole, and after a couple of attempts successfully managed to pull the valve back into its guide. Quickly I turned the crank to prevent the valve falling back into the cylinder!!
I completed the remaining valves and reattached removed components.
Job done. From zero to hero in 15 minutes!
Was that lucky or what? What are the chances of retrieving that valve, let alone it standing upright in the cylinder?
