Valve stem damage, fixable??

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May 9, 2012 | 03:52 PM

dannyo210

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From: Western MA

Valve stem damage, fixable??

Progressively since last year when I did my cam/intake swap, my car has been blowing blue smoke at start up. I finally got around to pulling the valve covers. I was hoping that it may have just been a damaged valve stem seal, but I found this.

This was one of three cylinders where the plugs were fouled, I can only assume it's the same issue in the other two.

Now, I'm still new to this stuff. My guess is I somehow didn't have the spring initially seated correctly? I'm not sure if I can get away with polishing down that bur so it's smooth. Is that an option? Or should I just pull the heads and not bother.

Thanks guys

May 9, 2012 | 07:01 PM

NVR_SPDS

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From: Virginia

Me personally, I would pull the heads, and replace the damaged valves.

May 10, 2012 | 11:00 AM

dannyo210

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From: Western MA

Yeah I don't have the cash right now to have a valve job done on the heads, which is why I asked

Jan 2, 2014 | 06:30 PM

STARMAN8tdc

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Did it work?

Same problem here, did you try to repair the valve or did you replace it? How did it turn out?

Jan 2, 2014 | 07:50 PM

S10xGN

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From: Port Neches, TX

Quote:

Originally Posted by NVR_SPDS

Me personally, I would pull the heads, and replace the damaged valves.

And guides.

If you can't afford to do it now, button it up and run it. All it will do is foul the plugs. You'll eventually come up with the $$$ after getting sick of doing plugs. Looks like somebody "slipped" with the spring compressor...

Jan 3, 2014 | 10:31 AM

vettenuts

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From: Little Rhody

Is the valve stem in the first photo hollow or is it the picture itself? If you are running hollow valves I would personally not run the car. If the valve were to fail and hit a piston you will be looking at a lot more than spark plugs to replace.

Jan 3, 2014 | 11:10 AM

Grimes

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From: Northern NJ

Quote:

Originally Posted by STARMAN8tdc

Same problem here, did you try to repair the valve or did you replace it? How did it turn out?

How did you guys get that type of damage? I found that some spring compression tools will move the retainer a little bit off center...then when you go to put the valve back in, the retainer scratches the valve. Is that what happened to you?