Deep, deep sh**

[APCdude]

So, today's agenda was a valve seal job.It started out great- did a compression test to make sure there weren't more impending problems. All cylinders were average 186 (high of 192).

Then comes time to remove the exhaust camshaft. But it won't budge, after it has been unstrapped and is ready to be removed. After fiddling with it, trying to figure out a way to pry it, the end snaps off near the sprocket.

So, nuts I say. Then it was time to get to the seals- but my spring compression tool is absolutely useless! We ended up using a metal bar and a pvc pipe the size of the retainer to compress the spring.Then, we get to the seal. It's like concrete! All efforts to remove with ANYTHING are completely futile. Pliers, careful work with a screwdriver, jerry-rigged tools, hooks-of-sorts, nothing will move it. We ended up just kind of destroying the seal.

Then, it hit me that my pop and I have basically destroyed a good part of engine, and we don't know much about what we're doing. Especially when putting compressed air into the cylinder, the timing rotated, putting it way off TDC in a bad way.

I don't know what to do now. The exhaust cam is totally messed, the timing is probably way off now, and the first (of 16) seal is destroyed. And we can't even replace the damn seals.I was considering taking it somewhere that would do this kind of work. I don't like spending money, though, so that would be a problem.

Perhaps I could get a used cam, get some special tools and some great advice and fix it all up myself instead of paying some guy over half the car's worth to do it.What do you guys think?
Modified by APCdude at 10:35 PM 3/13/2005

[JTinJacksonvilleNC]

Personally, I'd spend the money. A competent machine shop "MAY" be able to salvage what's left. My suggestion? Make a trip to the local boneyard or whatever you have there, and replace the whole thing. It'll be less work on you, not to mention safer. Don't get me wrong now, I'm not judging your abilites, it's just that there are some things you just don't attempt without the proper tools and equipment.

[iliketocrash]

i'm no professional mechanic but when you say valve seals i'm guessing you mean valve stem seals (i dunno if there are any other seals). However i have done what you're doing and its not really a difficult job and i wouldn't worry about messing it up. Its really pretty simple but it's encredibly tedious work. i dunno if all cars are the same but i know that on the engine on did it on, the spring retainers(i think that's what they are) had two little metal pieces that held the retainer on the valve/spring assembly. So what i'm saying is, if you don't have the proper compression tool or a proper jerry-rigged spring compression tool then it will be near impossible to get the retainers back on the springs along with their little metal clips. Sorry if i confused you or if i'm WAY off base because then engine i worked on wasn't out of a 240 but it is a somewhat similar engine. I'm just trying to help to the best of my knowledge. Good luck with your project.

[APCdude]

Thanks for the replies,As soon as I took hold of the situation, I got a new pair of long-nosed ridged pliers which pull off the seal like nothing, and ordered the Snap-On spring compressor tool.I figured that should be necessary after my jerry-rigged compressor slipped, shooting the little half-retainer piece into oblivion (which means I gotta go the the dealership now )

Anyway, the only thing I need now is the exhaust camshaft for a 91-94 ka24de.If anybody in Austin, Tx has one for sale, let me know, I am anxious to work out a deal.

[VitaminT]

I have the snap-on spring compressor and it is nice. I haven't used it on a KA head but it has worked on many GSR and other heads where the old C-clamp won't work.