made me laugh.................
Turbo Mini Forums

got this off my club forum, apparantly 'yesicanfixit' builds engines for a living

http://www.bournemouthminiclub.com/forum/v...333400b09b20f28

Nobody seemed to pick up on the fact that he was only recommended to put valve stem oil seals on the exhaust valves

On 12th Nov, 2009 Paul S said:

I think Gary OS has taken over my role as the forum smart arse

it is possible on some engines to do what he says. i remeber a tool at rover for this job (not on minis) screwed into spark plug hole whack the airline on it, holds valves shut. they then had a tool you whack to remove the collets from springs and a tool you whack to insert the collets. also the old ford escorts xr3is etc you put the piston to the top to hold valves in place then theres a tool you put on to remove valve springs.

so although he may be right i dont think its worth the hassle you could easily have the head off and back on before youve made the tool lol

no longer a series, but still 1.3 turbo.

Yeah, it's just a leak down tester as far as I know. It's a good method if you have all the tools but if your only doing it once off I would just do it the traditional way

On 12th Nov, 2009 Paul S said:

I think Gary OS has taken over my role as the forum smart arse

I have heard of this technique many years ago, never tried it, seen it done, or know of anyone whose personally done it but I think in theory it should work.

I've come across heads with the oil seals on all 8 valves and also only on the inlets, personally I can't see any benefit fitting them to the exhaust valves.

What about the old feed string into the spak plug hole and rotate the crank to TDC to hold the valve up trick? I can't think how the tool would work to compress the valve spring though.

possibly bolt it to some head studs and wind it down over the spring.

any way, its too easy to yank the head on a mini to worry about furking making up a tool!

there are loads of ohv spring compressors on the market for doing this

i thought it was common practice?

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"

On some OHC engines this isn't such a bad idea, for example alloy block Peugeot engine, to change a £6 set of stem seals you can do it with the head on, saving a £20 head gasket and a £25 set of head bolts, plus anti freeze etc,

no longer a series, but still 1.3 turbo.

i rekon itd be better to use small nuts, just chuck um down the sparkplug holes till its full then theres no way the valves will drop out. remove them with a magnet job done lol

no longer a series, but still 1.3 turbo.

i imagine you have to be carefull with the thread on the spark plug hole.
i belive the chap in question is only a young lad with basic tools, and if your fucking around taking valves out surely it wouldnt hurt to clean things up and give the valves a quick re lap?

dont get upset nick this young fello is a typical 1st year apprentice he hear from his instructor that this was possable and thinks no one elce in the workd knows the trick, dont rise to him he will learn one day that because he stands at a parts wash tank cleaning pistons all day does not make him an engine builder and then he will learn that being an engine builder is no fun just hard work and then hart brake.

as the saying goes there is more ways to skin a CAT.

Piece out

that is defently a statment of FACT

I've changed a broken spring before with a the rope through the spark plug hole trick in the past so it can be done but in all honesty, I could have probably had the head off, spring changed and the head back on without much more hassle.

I've changed springs and seals using a specially made valve compressor and a bit of rope.

Takes no time at all (10 minis max), no mess, no cost, easy.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

Like Wil says, a bit of rope in the bore to stop the valve dropping and a tool that I made (very simple). It is much less hassel than taking the head off.

TBH I would leave it smoking.

http://www.twin-turbo.co.uk
http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp

A man without a project is like a like a woman without a shopping list.

By the time you have done in your valve seals, you might as well take off the head and sort the valves out anyway and do the job properly.