Engine Mechanic Says Sticking Valve Guides

[JasinC19]

You realize that could be the entire problem right there? A leaking PCV valve will cause vacuum leak, causing your vacuum gauge needle to jump, car run rich, and lower your MPG Did you check to see the old screen is out. You sometimes have to use a little RTV around the grommet to get them to seal properly Let it tack up and then reinstall the PCV grommet and valve. Let it sit overnight to cure. See if that solves the problem.

Good idea guys. .. All my stuff is new but thepcv is pretty loose in its hole.

The 'rubber'is more like hardened plastic.

But I did spray there withs healthy amount of carb cleaner and the idle didn't change. Same with the crappy trick Flowoil filler grommet.

 

[jAEded]

I'm not running the stock molded tube to the pcv. Maybe it helps hold the pcv in there versus the tube setup I have going? I had to do it on both intakes when I was running them.

I do know it leaking causes weird issues on my engine. My car didn't seem like it was running right.

I think Mike has a pretty good idea with the rtv. All I could think of doing was wrapping the stem of the pcv to make it thicker so its tight in the grommet. Electrical tape didn't work so well. It heated up and the adhesive melted all over. 3m rubber tape ended up working. The pcv and grommet came out in one piece from my first intake.

 

[JasinC19]

I'm pulling the heads this weekend.

While I have everything apart, would it be a good idea to upgrade the springs that come with the Twisted Wedge heads? What about the other valve hardware?

I've heard some negatives about them and don't mind spending some money for something better if needs be.

 

[Rick 91GT]

With the cam you have those springs are plenty fine....

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2

 

[JasinC19]

I have the heads off. When compressing the spring, it's pulling the bottom of the spring up out of the spring seat.

It's not pushing the spring down so that the keeper is exposed.

After compressing the spring, do i knock on the top of the tool to push the spring assembly down?

It's a tool like this:

 

[jAEded]

With that tool you have to crank it pretty far. It came out of the seat on me. Crank it and push the whole thing down into the seat. If I remember right, look at the valve on the bottom of the head, it should be open about 1/4 - 3/8". I just tapped the bottom of the valve with a plastic hammer. The wedges let go. I think used a magnet to pick the wedges from around the stem.

 

[jAEded]

Use the two black bottom fingers and go as close to the bottom of the spring as you can get. I would hook them on and kind of twist it down the spring... It would have been nicer with that tool if they made those black fingers even instead of having one longer than the other.

 

[JasinC19]

Well I think the problem is that the TFS springs are a double spring. This tool only compresses the outer one. It looks like the inner spring is still pushing against the cap and retainer.

I probably need a different tool... thoughts?

 

[mikestang63]

I don't understand why you are taking apart brand new heads. I'd be shipping them back to TFS and have them look at them. Once you disassemble them, you have no recourse. Personally I don't like that type of spring compressor. I prefer this C clamp type.... found it much easier....

However, here is a video on how to properly use the type you have

 

[jAEded]

Yeah you're gonna have to use a c type, or cylinder head off type. Unless you can get the tool to grab both springs. Bummer. I didn't know you had double springs.

Mikes right. Is there issues with the valves you need to take them out? Was one burnt? I lapped my valve seats on the gt40 heads, but thats the only reason I messed with them right out of the box.

 

[jAEded]

Always remember the K.I.S.S. principle.

 

[JasinC19]

The shop that diagnosed it said that a few valves were sticking in the guides. That the guides were to tight. But I don't want to ship heads tfs if that isn't the case.

If the machine shop confirms that the clearances are of and i need work done then I'll Just have it done. If I need parts tfs rooms me they'd take care of me.

I don't think they'll pick up the machine shop bill though lol...

None of them are burned but 1 cylinder's intake valve looked much darker than the others.

Also my pistons looked like there was a lot of carbon on them...

 

[jAEded]

If they were sticking they would eventually open up. Its possible one of the valves stems is tapered or bent causing the valve not to close all the way.

If a valve stem ever fused in the guide. The pedestal bolt would sheer off, or the rocker would break in half, or the pushrod would go. Thats a catastrophic failure. Its a not a failure that you would be here still asking us questions on how to fix. You'd pop the valve cover and know right away what happened.

Its possible that something got lost in communication and I'm not understanding right. I'll give the mechanic the benefit of the doubt and maybe its a bent, burnt or warped valve and not fused in the guide. You kind of ruled out a bent, stuck or warped valve with your compression check. IMO, I don't think the valves are your issue.

You can disconnect the spring from the valve and spin it in the guide. Look at the valve while spinning and if it wobbles, you know its bent. You can also do a quick lapping and look at the contact area. If you have a band all the way around the valve you know your good. If its only removing metal from one part of the valve you know its bent.

 

[jAEded]

I'm not trying to be rude man, just save you some money and trouble.

 

[jAEded]

I went back to your vid and listened to your car. Its really doesn't sound that bad dude. You didn't rev it up, but your idle sounds good aside from the vacuum gauge thing. I don't think your issue is anything major.

 

[JasinC19]

You're fine. I appreciate all the input.

The issue is hard to see in the video but it's there... I just want to have everything in the heads checked so that i

can know that there is no problem there.

 

[JasinC19]

That jumping needle can't be normal. If something isn't working right in the valvetrain it could causea big issue down the line

 

[jAEded]

I can tell you how long it takes to clean all that carbon off with seafoam and a toothbrush.

My experience with taking things to a mechanic. Tell them exactly what you want. Not all, but some, if they know you don't know, it leaves the door wide open for them to gouge you. I kind of think thats already what happened.

Go to a different mechanic or call around. Bring them your bare heads. Say maybe something like, can you just do a quick clean and check of my heads for me. It leaves them a lot less room if you go in knowing than with a blank check.

 

[jAEded]

That jumping needle can't be normal. If something isn't working right in the valvetrain it could causea big issue down the line

Its not. Its a vacuum leak somewhere. I'm leaning that its at the intake. For the end seals on the intake and everywhere there is a gasket make sure to get down to bare metal and use a good cleaner that doesn't leave a residue, like acetone. I rtv the intake and block, so when I put them together the rtv on both sides seals better. I have to pry the intake off with a bar to break the rtv. Let it harden overnight before you start it.

 

[jAEded]

Gasgacinch between the heads and M-9439-A50. I use a tiny bit of the grey rtv on the water openings. Intake side no gasgacinch, but still grey rtv on the water ports. Black rtv for the ends. I put a 1/4" bead of black rtv on both the intake and block.