Valve seals / guides

[BigBen]

Hello,

My Mercedes 300SL (M103 engine) is rather smoky on start up, particularly if it has been left for a while. According to various other fora the valve seals are a weakness on this engine and possibly the guides.

I know what the seals are and how involved replacing them is and I feel more than equal to this task. My next question is what do the valve guides do, are they part of the head or can they be easily replaced ?

Ben

[Boosted LS1]

The valve guide is the tube which the valve slides up and down in. replacing them is not usually a diy option as you'll need a press to remove them and probably tp replace them as well. Once replaced they would probably need reeming to give the correct sliding clearance for the valve.

Stick to replacing the seals, that will probably cure the fault

[BigBen]

Boosted LS1 said:

The valve guide is the tube which the valve slides up and down in. replacing them is not usually a diy option as you'll need a press to remove them and probably tp replace them as well. Once replaced they would probably need reeming to give the correct sliding clearance for the valve.

Stick to replacing the seals, that will probably cure the fault

Since I don't know what reeming is you are probably quite right. Just had an idea that replacing both whilst the head was off would make some sense. Can access a press if necessary.

Ben

[Pumaracing]

BigBen said:

Boosted LS1 said:

The valve guide is the tube which the valve slides up and down in. replacing them is not usually a diy option as you'll need a press to remove them and probably tp replace them as well. Once replaced they would probably need reeming to give the correct sliding clearance for the valve.

Stick to replacing the seals, that will probably cure the fault

Since I don't know what reeming is you are probably quite right.
Ben

Probably because it isn't a word. However 'reaming' the new guides is the least of your worries because the valve seats will need recutting if the guides are changed and if you don't know what valve guides are then you aren't going to be able to cut valve seats yourself.

[BigBen]

Pumaracing said:

BigBen said:

Boosted LS1 said:

The valve guide is the tube which the valve slides up and down in. replacing them is not usually a diy option as you'll need a press to remove them and probably tp replace them as well. Once replaced they would probably need reeming to give the correct sliding clearance for the valve.

Stick to replacing the seals, that will probably cure the fault

Since I don't know what reeming is you are probably quite right.
Ben

Probably because it isn't a word. However 'reaming' the new guides is the least of your worries because the valve seats will need recutting if the guides are changed and if you don't know what valve guides are then you aren't going to be able to cut valve seats yourself.

I don't quite follow your logic to be honest, I tend to have more of a 'first time for everything' point of view. Can't be that hard can it?

Ben

[Pumaracing]

BigBen said:

Pumaracing said:

BigBen said:

Boosted LS1 said:

The valve guide is the tube which the valve slides up and down in. replacing them is not usually a diy option as you'll need a press to remove them and probably tp replace them as well. Once replaced they would probably need reeming to give the correct sliding clearance for the valve.

Stick to replacing the seals, that will probably cure the fault

Since I don't know what reeming is you are probably quite right.
Ben

Probably because it isn't a word. However 'reaming' the new guides is the least of your worries because the valve seats will need recutting if the guides are changed and if you don't know what valve guides are then you aren't going to be able to cut valve seats yourself.

I don't quite follow your logic to be honest, I tend to have more of a 'first time for everything' point of view. Can't be that hard can it?

Ben

No, it's not hard at all if you have a £15,000 Serdi valve seat cutting machine, the correct pilots and other tooling needed and the training to use it all. However obviously you don't or you wouldn't be asking. It might not suit your "first time for everything" attitude but there are actually things you can't do with just a hammer, chisel and your fingers crossed for luck.

[Boosted LS1]

I can't use a hammer and chisel with my fingers crossed.

[BigBen]

Pumaracing said:

BigBen said:

Pumaracing said:

BigBen said:

Boosted LS1 said:

The valve guide is the tube which the valve slides up and down in. replacing them is not usually a diy option as you'll need a press to remove them and probably tp replace them as well. Once replaced they would probably need reeming to give the correct sliding clearance for the valve.

Stick to replacing the seals, that will probably cure the fault

Since I don't know what reeming is you are probably quite right.
Ben

Probably because it isn't a word. However 'reaming' the new guides is the least of your worries because the valve seats will need recutting if the guides are changed and if you don't know what valve guides are then you aren't going to be able to cut valve seats yourself.

I don't quite follow your logic to be honest, I tend to have more of a 'first time for everything' point of view. Can't be that hard can it?

Ben

No, it's not hard at all if you have a £15,000 Serdi valve seat cutting machine, the correct pilots and other tooling needed and the training to use it all. However obviously you don't or you wouldn't be asking. It might not suit your "first time for everything" attitude but there are actually things you can't do with just a hammer, chisel and your fingers crossed for luck.

So it can't be done with a DIY tool, that was all you had to say in the first place. Who knows you might have sounded like less of a condescending tt.

[spend]

Boosted LS1 said:

I can't use a hammer and chisel with my fingers crossed.

Whats the chisel for

[BigBen]

spend said:

Boosted LS1 said:

I can't use a hammer and chisel with my fingers crossed.

Whats the chisel for

Prising crossed fingers apart?

[FWDRacer]

BigBen - I think you've picked up on the wrong end of the imparted information. The gentlemen in question isn't a condescending twunt - just he has a level of knowledge on the subject and is entirely correct in saying it can't be done without the proper tools for the job.

Can't you make yourself useful and go out and mow the lawn instead of challenging yourself with Valve stem seal and guide replacement? It strikes me as being closer to your area of competence.




what a truly condescending post should sound like...

Edited by FWDRacer on Friday 24th October 09:38

[BigBen]

FWDRacer said:

BigBen - I think you've picked up on the wrong end of the imparted information. The gentlemen in question isn't a condescending twunt - just he has a level of knowledge on the subject and is entirely correct in saying it can't be done without the proper tools for the job.

Can't you make yourself useful and go out and mow the lawn instead of challenging yourself with Valve stem seal and guide replacement? It strikes me as being closer to your area of competence.




what a truly condescending post should sound like...

Edited by FWDRacer on Friday 24th October 09:38

I agree that is a better effort and the lawnmower has a simpler engine to work on to boot, mind you have been considering one of those electric ones, far less complicated bits to worry my tiny mind about

I think I got the right end of the information just don't feel it was delivered with much grace, still grateful for the knowledge imparted even if I had a funny way of showing it (had had a few at that point last night)


Ben

[Pumaracing]

BigBen said:

So it can't be done with a DIY tool, that was all you had to say in the first place.

That's what I did say in the first place, that if you have to ask what a valve guide is then clearly you aren't an engine reconditioner, don't have any valve seat cutting equipment and can't possibly do it yourself, regardless of enthusiasm, blind determination or indefatigable frontier spirit.

If you could have possibly done it with DIY tools I would have said so.