Valve Guide Problems


Lee91

Lee91

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Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
90
So the story goes I sent my engine away to have the headgasket re done and the rest checked over and have found out the valve guides are worn and will either need to be changed or a new head.

I've been told by a few people that nowhere in Ireland can do it 100%. It's not cheap to get done so I don't want to waste the money for it to not be done right.

What I want to know is, is it a common problem with b-series' if I go and buy a new (second hand) head is it likely that it will be the same. Has anyone who builds engines come across it much Etc..

Thanks
 
I'm sure @Vtec6000 will know of a machine shop in Ireland that is competent enough to replace or sleeve your guides
 
I got mine sleeved in Rochdale.

My suspicion is that smokey b series engines are valve guide wear related more often than rings and that seals going is a symptom of the guides or at least fail alongside.

My smokey (now fully rebuilt) b18c had good bores and rings but much more valve movement than spec. The chambers were very much impinged with hard deposits.
I suspect replacing seals would mask the issue for a short while.

You get carbon at the valve head side and this makes for abrasive wear of the bottom of the exhaust guides especially.
 
Yea I got in contact with a machine shop and he told me its usually the exhaust side that have to be done.

So your of the opinion they're usually at fault when an engine is smokey and not the stems or rings.

I'm just going to pick up another head for it and take the chance it will be better than the one I have.
 
If you got a picture of a head that was for sale and the heads of the valves were clean black nitride on the face you could be pretty sure it wouldnt smoke.

I am only guessing at the most common cause of smoke. There are plenty of people with more experience of these engines. Certainly it was true of mine.
 
Grand, I'm just waiting on pictures of the head at the minute I should have them tomorrow so I'll post them here if I'm unsure. Thanks
 
I just had my head machined and needed exhaust guides they cost me £40 from funky power and total cost of machine work was £216 from west of scotland engineering in glasgow
 
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