Has anyone done their own valve stem seals?

Or has anyone had theirs done and how much did it cost?

Mine need doing and wouldnt mind knowing just how much work is involved. Are you able to change them with heads still on, or do they have to come off? Have done 200,000kms and getting a 2nd hand motor aint an option. Would end up costing more, more hassle and taking longer so just want to fix these. Will only have the car for another year or so if that, so would prefer to just get it fixed. Stick with the devil ya know.


Cheers

Did mine on a 12 valve TS V6 at 240,000 km but I took the heads off. I prefer to do it that way for a high km. engine so I can check for burnt valves, cracked heads, test/replace lifters etc. Costs more (head gaskets, crack testing etc) but at least I know the heads are good for another 200,000 km.

Cost me $1,200 for a full engine gasket set, new exhaust valves, full set of new lifters, exhaust valve guides, crack testing, heads shaved.
Obviously a DIY replace with heads on will be the cheapest option.

Only my opinion, but if you're only keeping the car for another year then why not just live with it. All the hassles involved plus the many dollars expended just to prevent a bit of oil burning seems to me to be a bit of a waste. If the leaky valve stem seals are causing no other problems then I'd live with them. But like I say, only my opinion.

Only my opinion, but if you're only keeping the car for another year then why not just live with it. All the hassles involved plus the many dollars expended just to prevent a bit of oil burning seems to me to be a bit of a waste. If the leaky valve stem seals are causing no other problems then I'd live with them. But like I say, only my opinion.

Nah, not an option , its no good driving around blowing smoke all over the joint. Plus have baby on the way, dont want the poor bub getting used to fumes too soon. When i sell it i also plan to drive it 2500kms to Perth, as i will get 3k minimum trade in then on a new car. I want it to make the trip haha.

Ive done a number of different cars incl the 4 and 6 cyl magnas

You can easily do it on thecar with the heads on if you have the rite tools.

You need a source of compressed air, a spark plug with the guts knocked out and a piece of pipe welded in and the rite kind of valve spring compressor.

I have been told u can do without the first three by feeding a length of cord into the cyl (keeping the end out) and winding the piston up (with a socket) to hold the vavles but Ive never tried it so I cant comment.

If I can find a pic of the spring compressor ill stick a link in here.


http://cgi.ebay.com.au/VALVE-SPRING-COMPRESSOR-UNIVERSAL-OVERHEAD-AMPRO-NEW-/140402538477?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item20b0a4b7ed

Check out yur local tool shop or maybe autobarn etc

Cheers Ol' Fart, that sounds good. I can get my hands on the right tools, thats no prob.
I would gather that the rear bank of cylinders would be the hardest to do, in terms of access?
So really its just a matter of taking off the valve retainers and taking out the old valve stem seals, drop the new ones in and all good.

Anything else i should know? Any special tricks or advice?
Cheers

That is the case for the 12v motor, the 24v motor is a very different story as the head is cast around the valve springs and some of them are near impossible to get access to. With heads off, you can use the older style tool where you hold the bottom of the valve and push the spring from the top, with the head on you really need to find a compressor which can get into a very small space and still grip the spring, if you find a tool that can do this please let me know as I have tried that many of them is beyond a joke

Nah, not an option , its no good driving around blowing smoke all over the joint. Plus have baby on the way, dont want the poor bub getting used to fumes too soon. When i sell it i also plan to drive it 2500kms to Perth, as i will get 3k minimum trade in then on a new car. I want it to make the trip haha.

If you are blowing smoke all over the joint, I'd suggest it isn't valve stem seals but more probably worn rings. Valve stem seals will usually only smoke on start-up or if you blip the engine whereas continual smoke is more likely rings and a worn engine.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/VALVE-SPRING-COMPRESSOR-UNIVERSAL-OVERHEAD-AMPRO-NEW-/140402538477?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item20b0a4b7ed


That's the tool I used on a V6 12 valve TS motor, but the claws are so big (thick) they barely fit into the gaps between the valve spring coils. I doubt it would work on the 24 valve motor. Maybe some grinding to thin the claws a bit? That's what I'm planning to do if I ever need to do the stem seals on my TJ anyway.

Ah, yes i didnt think of the 2 different motors. Some modifying might be needed i suppose.

Im pretty sure its the valve stem seals, whenever its idling it blows smoke.

Soon find out i suppose.

That is the case for the 12v motor, the 24v motor is a very different story as the head is cast around the valve springs and some of them are near impossible to get access to. With heads off, you can use the older style tool where you hold the bottom of the valve and push the spring from the top, with the head on you really need to find a compressor which can get into a very small space and still grip the spring, if you find a tool that can do this please let me know as I have tried that many of them is beyond a joke

What about these suckers , http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/online-store/products/TFT-Valve-Spring-Compressor-TF4025.aspx?pid=12555#details

Ah, yes i didnt think of the 2 different motors. Some modifying might be needed i suppose.

Im pretty sure its the valve stem seals, whenever its idling it blows smoke.

Soon find out i suppose.

See, when mine went hard on the TS the smoke was only during acceleration after standstill for a few minutes. If its smoking all the time even when idling then it might mean the piston rings are gone. Unless of course the 6G74 is a different diagnosis...

What about these suckers , http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/online-store/products/TFT-Valve-Spring-Compressor-TF4025.aspx?pid=12555#details

Yep, will work, but you need to take the heads off. The end with the screw thread fits on the valve head, the other end has a fork to allow you to get the collets out from the retainer once the spring is compressed. Its like a "G" clamp.

That is the case for the 12v motor, the 24v motor is a very different story as the head is cast around the valve springs and some of them are near impossible to get access to. With heads off, you can use the older style tool where you hold the bottom of the valve and push the spring from the top, with the head on you really need to find a compressor which can get into a very small space and still grip the spring, if you find a tool that can do this please let me know as I have tried that many of them is beyond a joke

This Looks like the OEM Special Tool MD998772

http://millerspecialtools.spx.com/Detail.aspx?id=1278

Punch part number MD998772A into this http://www.mitsubishipartscentral.com
VALVE SPRING COMPRESSOR $124.19 USD and you're probably looking at about $60 postage. I've ordered from these guys before, no problems.

When you're getting into hundreds of $$ just to save yourself the trouble to removing the heads you'd better be doing this job a lot, and making money out of it. It'd actually be cheaper to remove the heads if you have to spend this much for a tool. I'd go with heads off if mine were a 24V job, since then I could inspect the things while they're out.
If I'd bought the tool, replaced the seals then found that the oil was actually seeping in through a crack in a combustion chamber, I'd probably be crying like a baby for an hour or two.