SR20DET valve stem seals
 

Hey,

Im about to replace the valve seals on my redtop, I have the head on the block and the motor is on an engine stand. Im really not looking to take the head back off so I was reading that I can use an air compressor attached to the spark plug holes (already have the adapter) to keep the valves from dropping into the combustion chamber. I dont have a compressor so I was going to go to home depot and rent one...I read that anywhere around 70-90 psi should be enough to hold them up, but my question is: what size tank do you all think would be sufficient? I believe the normal size compressor that they rent out is the pancake style 6 gallon, is that enough to get through 1 seal before running out of air or would that be pushing it? Thanks

Honestly, do it right, and just take the head off. Since you havent fired up the engine, your HG should still be reusable after you take the head off.

The only thing is that I dont have any more of that assembly lube that came with the ARP head studs and it was a bitch to torque them down. I felt so accomplished afterwards it just seems like Ill be killing my time taking the head back off :\

The adapter to hold the valves up isn't really that hard to use and is quite easy. A 5 gallon tank will work fine it's just going to run the entire time. If anything just do one at a time and let it refresh.

You can go the old way even the dealers back in the late 80 early 90's were doing the rope trick, google is your friend for more info on this.

I have done both over the last 14 years working on car if the motor is still in the car. If the motor is out of the car I would pull the head but you're worried as you don't have any arp lube , you can use motor oil but you will have to email/call arp to find out the torque values for using motor oil and not lube.

I would be more concerned about seating the valve seals then amything else.. personally I say remove the head.. take springs out remove valves...change seals n reassemble.. plus the tool u r using isn't for that purpose (valve seal) its to change spings/retainers...I sure hope u have a way to seat the seals with the valves still there.

When I was getting excessive blow by I actually blew all the new valve stem seals with less than 10k miles on them. So I replaced them with the motor in the car. All you need to so is:

1 - pull the spark plug, and put a long screw driver into the cylinder to see when cylinder 1 is at TDC. Then remove your springs. When valves drop they will still stick out more than an inch.

2 - Use a screw driver to gently pry up each side till the pop off, pop new ones on, put springs back on.

3 - Put spark plugs back in

4 - You can do cylinders 1 and 4 at the same time because they are in line.

5 - Remove the spark plug from cylinder 2, insert long screw driver, and rotate till it is at TDC.

6 - Repeat steps 1 -3.

7 - you can do cylinders 2 and 3 together cause they are inline.


You don't need fancy tools, just common sense.

Hope this saves you from over thinking it.

AWESOME guys, those are the answers I was looking for, really appreciate it

when it comes to seating the seals a 12mm deep socket will seat them around all edges and will be deep enough to clear the stem .

So I just went to try this out and unfortunately the tool that I had (Lisle 36200 Valve Keeper Remover and Installer : Amazon.com : Automotive) was just too large to seat on top of the valve keepers. It looks like theres a smaller one but for some reason it's only sold as a set with the large one that I already have haha..
(Amazon.com: Lisle 36050 Valve Keeper Remover and Installer Kit: Automotive)

That style sucks for doing it in car, as you end up knocking the keepers everywhere.

I like the bar/cantelever style setup.
http://onespeedfast.com/rabbit-forums/valve-tool1.jpg