acarmody
Donati..Whoa Green
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2007
- Messages
- 5,920
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- Location
- Brisbane
- Members Ride
- VX Berlina
Well I suspect that there are quite a few Ecotec are blowing smoke by now, and since I had to change a few tonight I thought I might as well share. I am doing this with rope to hold the valves up as I don't have a compressor.
Equipment needed:
Valve seals obviously (MACE sell them pretty cheap Premium Viton Valve Stem Seals - Mace Engineering Group)
New rocker bolts
3/8 Socket (Also a 7/16th deep socket will make job easier)
Valve spring removal tool
Pliers or magnet tool will make job a little easier
Good quality rope or good compressor
Loctite
Torque wrench (though can do without one)
1. Move ignition leads out of way, also remove intake pipe and throttle cable bracket if doing passenger side.
2. Remove all spark plugs and put car in neutral.
3. Remove rocker covers using 3/8 socket.
4. Pick 1st cylinder to work on and rotate engine until the piston is on bottom of stroke (Socket over harmonic balancer bolt is easy).
5. Feed rope into cylinder until full (mine took over 2 metres of rope, not very thin stuff either) and then rotate engine until it becomes harder to turn, then stop. Alternative is to use compressor and to thread into spark plug hole. Ensure compressor is adequate enough to keep valves up until finished. If valve drops then you will likely have to remove heads which will ruin your day. (Image 1)
6. Remove rockers, keep in order to replace each to original spot. Remember the rocker bolts are 'Torque-to-Yield' so they are one time use only. I bought some reusable bolts from local bolt shop for about ~$1 each. Much cheaper than from anywhere else with TTY bolts. Should now look like Image 2.
7. Now compress valve springs on cylinder with valves supported. Now remember to be very very careful and to take your time. When fully compressed these spring can easily break the bones in you hand or in your head. I used a overhead removal tool so I could remove springs with heads still on car (Image 3), but after it decided to give way and suddenly release the spring on me (thank Christ collets were still on)(Image 4) I modified it a bit to properly sit on retainers. This is what it should look like (Image 5), notice U shaped piece is actually sitting on top of retainer.
8. The collets may be slightly stuck on the retainer, so very carefully tap on retainer with a soft headed tool or mallet until spring drops and collets are exposed. Then carefully remove them with magnets pen or pliers. Again keeping everything in order so they can go back to original positions.
9. Remove old valve seals, easiest way is to hook something under them and pull up. Should now look like Image 6
10. Place new valve seals on the valve and push down, to get them properly seated I used a 7/16th deep socket on the end of a small extension bar and pushed down with valve going into socket. (Image 7)
11. Compress valve spring with retainer on, and place over top of valve.
12. Carefully put collets back onto valve and slowly let spring out until retainer holds collets in place. Double and triple check that collets are seated properly.
13. Now torque the rocker bolts down to spec. If using a torque wrench then 15Nm plus 90 degrees should see you right. If you don't have a torque wrench ($70 for Kincrome one from Bunnings) then tighten the rocker bolt until zero lash, that is when the rocker starts to provide friction on pushrod, easiest way to check is to spin push rod while tightening rocker bolt, when there is any resistance on push rod, then that is zero lash. Once at zero lash then do another one whole turn.
14. Repeat for every valve you want to do.
15. Put everything back together, remembering to check rocker cover gasket condition.
16. Enjoy beer while knowing that mechanics/cylinder head specialists charge a lot to do this job.
Equipment needed:
Valve seals obviously (MACE sell them pretty cheap Premium Viton Valve Stem Seals - Mace Engineering Group)
New rocker bolts
3/8 Socket (Also a 7/16th deep socket will make job easier)
Valve spring removal tool
Pliers or magnet tool will make job a little easier
Good quality rope or good compressor
Loctite
Torque wrench (though can do without one)
1. Move ignition leads out of way, also remove intake pipe and throttle cable bracket if doing passenger side.
2. Remove all spark plugs and put car in neutral.
3. Remove rocker covers using 3/8 socket.
4. Pick 1st cylinder to work on and rotate engine until the piston is on bottom of stroke (Socket over harmonic balancer bolt is easy).
5. Feed rope into cylinder until full (mine took over 2 metres of rope, not very thin stuff either) and then rotate engine until it becomes harder to turn, then stop. Alternative is to use compressor and to thread into spark plug hole. Ensure compressor is adequate enough to keep valves up until finished. If valve drops then you will likely have to remove heads which will ruin your day. (Image 1)
6. Remove rockers, keep in order to replace each to original spot. Remember the rocker bolts are 'Torque-to-Yield' so they are one time use only. I bought some reusable bolts from local bolt shop for about ~$1 each. Much cheaper than from anywhere else with TTY bolts. Should now look like Image 2.
7. Now compress valve springs on cylinder with valves supported. Now remember to be very very careful and to take your time. When fully compressed these spring can easily break the bones in you hand or in your head. I used a overhead removal tool so I could remove springs with heads still on car (Image 3), but after it decided to give way and suddenly release the spring on me (thank Christ collets were still on)(Image 4) I modified it a bit to properly sit on retainers. This is what it should look like (Image 5), notice U shaped piece is actually sitting on top of retainer.
8. The collets may be slightly stuck on the retainer, so very carefully tap on retainer with a soft headed tool or mallet until spring drops and collets are exposed. Then carefully remove them with magnets pen or pliers. Again keeping everything in order so they can go back to original positions.
9. Remove old valve seals, easiest way is to hook something under them and pull up. Should now look like Image 6
10. Place new valve seals on the valve and push down, to get them properly seated I used a 7/16th deep socket on the end of a small extension bar and pushed down with valve going into socket. (Image 7)
11. Compress valve spring with retainer on, and place over top of valve.
12. Carefully put collets back onto valve and slowly let spring out until retainer holds collets in place. Double and triple check that collets are seated properly.
13. Now torque the rocker bolts down to spec. If using a torque wrench then 15Nm plus 90 degrees should see you right. If you don't have a torque wrench ($70 for Kincrome one from Bunnings) then tighten the rocker bolt until zero lash, that is when the rocker starts to provide friction on pushrod, easiest way to check is to spin push rod while tightening rocker bolt, when there is any resistance on push rod, then that is zero lash. Once at zero lash then do another one whole turn.
14. Repeat for every valve you want to do.
15. Put everything back together, remembering to check rocker cover gasket condition.
16. Enjoy beer while knowing that mechanics/cylinder head specialists charge a lot to do this job.
detective work solved hehe i hope