Valve Lapping question

[jcarney1987]

So I decided to relap my valves on my ka24de. Normally this is something I would let a machine shop do, but I wanted to do it my self more as a learning experience. Now I've pulled my heads apart and relapped every valve. Valves still remained in original locations to minimize lapping. Now the area look clean and all the carbon on the exaust is gone. I reinstalled my head and when I pull 10-20 psi of air in it, the valves still leak air.

So my question is, is this normal and should the seal after running the car? Or should I pull off the head relap the valves some more, buy new head gasket and pull some solvent into the head to see if it leaks?

Thanks for your advice.

[NolimitZ32]

How are you measuring the air you are pulling? If you are doing a leakdown upto 10% is considered acceptable, that 10 percent, not 10psi (unless of course you are running the test at 100psi). Are all of the cylinders losing the same amount of compression or just one? Also how sure are you that you cleaned the seats and valves well enough after lapping because it doesn't take much to get 10% leakdown, a tiny piece of carbon or some leftover abrasive from the lapping putty can cause this.