Hi guys, A mate of mine is restoring an ST4 I think it is?? and he’s got the heads off to refurb the valve train , but he’s struggling with valve guide seals This head so it’s a 4 valve engine.. But this is the bit he’s struggling with… Bottom of the picture you can see the two red rubber valve seals, I think he says they are kind of moulded over a metal sleeve?? He can’t seem to be able to get them out ?…..any ideas chaps would be appreciated
I have an ST4, but have never done that, so probably can't help. It may just my computer, but I can't see the images in the format that you have posted them.
Original post got deleted somehow, pictures should now show Been surfing t’internet for help and it seems people can get them off with special pliers but he’s struggling with access through the cam ports and I just wondered if people had any special tricks to deal with them
Pull them out with a good pair of long-nosed pliers, angled ones work well but even a couple of screwdrivers will lever them out. As for refitting I use a nut & bolt to pull them on rather than hammering them in.
I have the ST4 workshop manual. It makes no reference to removing the seals. It mentions re-fitting with a special tool. If I were removing I might look at cutting the rubber seal without damaging the valve guide. If the seal also has a metal element in it, this may be of limited use.
I makes no reference because you just pull them off and since you'll be replacing them it doesn't matter if you damage them anyway, not difficult just a bit of force with, obviously care because you don't want to damage the guides. I wouldn't try cutting as, A. there is metal and B. you could easily cut into the top of the guide.
I have a set of these(Halfords sell them), and they've never failed me with valve seals, and plenty of other things too. https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand...er-4-piece-mini-hook-and-pick-set-489073.html They are one of those cheap tools that I really don't know how I'd survive without them.
Have also noted re: "no reference" and it's a really valid point, sometimes I wonder if Workshop Manual writers get a bit cowardly when an operation is fraught with the the unknown! Having written two car manuals for manufacturers myself (there I said it, don't really care at my age) I can sympathise first hand. The interference fit of the stem seal can vary, sometimes old ones just pop off if you shout "Boo!" at them, sometimes they hang on for dear life, as I think Nasher might concur. You might have to be imaginative here* Poucher, bearing in mind, as said, there is a substantial "metal" sleeve within the gland, you can approach with a bit more force, but cautiously. The majority will come off with a hooking device like Nasher, and I choose this first as pliers are inwardly crushing the sleeve, so can defeat the object. If you want to try pliers then you need to grip the outer with as little force as possible, with the part-semi-circle area of your average pliers, so as to get max. surface area "grippage", if you have room to get them in there, and then try and carefully revolve. If the stem seal revolves then it's Bingo!. If not, and hooking hasn't worked then it's * time. I've resorted to prying either side of seal (i.e. 180 deg apart) while protecting the pry bar "pivot" area with wood etc, and this has always worked eventually but the tools here are a bit specialist but a couple of bent screwdrivers will do it.
