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Poormans Valve Stem Seal DIY How-To
Ok This How-to describes the removal/installation of the valve stem seals on a mkiv-tt
The only tool that you will need to buy are the valve stem removal pliers. You can use either the short or long kind, but this is a must!!
Stem Seals:
Exhaust: 90913-02088
Intake: 90913-02106
Other stuff:
Telescoping Magnetic autozone screwdriver tool
About 2 ft 3/4" pvc piping
notebook paper
about 2 rolls of 2" duct tape (kidding) you will need some tape, however.
Compression tester
Marvel Mystery Oil (solvent/cleaner) MMO
Marine grease (assembly lube)
About 30 cotton balls
some q-tips
5 lb or less rubber mallet
Dental pick or similar
10mm deep socket with extension
valve cover seals (2)
cam seals (2)
Also, i recommend an air compressor for this. I used about 22psi so a hobby compressor should work fine. If you decide to
do the rope trick, let me for-warn you, your rope can drag unwanted "crap" into your combustion chamber and you also
run the risk of it tying itself in a knot inside your chamber (eew!)
Making Your Tools:
1) Keeper Removal Tool: cut your pvc pipe about 9" in length and remove burrs. Place it around your magnetic screwdriver and tape it up. You may have to remove the bit holder if it has one.
2) Keeper Installer Tool: cut another piece of the pvc about the same size and tape one end good enough not to hurt your hand when you push hard against it and leave the other end burr free and open.
First off take your compression tester and **REMOVE** the one way check valve inside of it, blow through it to be sure its open.
Go ahead and remove everything you need to get the valve covers off..
After all that is done remove the intake valve cover and turn your #1 piston to TDC and remove timing belt and both cam gears.
Remove your cam per the service manual instructions and keep all cam bearing caps in order.
Now it is time to use your cotton balls!! put 2 in each crevice and make sure that nothing can fall into the head, or worse into the oil passage tunnels!!
**IMPORTANT**
Remove spark plug #1 and verify tdc with flashlight, then insert *modified compression tester hose.
Use a 22mm socket on the crankshaft pully and zip tie the ratchet to where it will not let the piston move once you pressurize it. (This is for contingency, if i hadnt done this i think i would have lost my valve because the compression tester hose had that one-way check in it and i think this saved me!!)
*Make sure that you remember to move the airhose and set new piston at tdc when you get to them!
*************
Now, apply air pressure to the cylinder. Grab your trusty keeper removing tool and use the magnet to get that bucket out. Now you should see the valve retainer and the 2 keepers that hold it all together.
Take you remover tool and center it on the retainer, then give it a wack with your mallet (Hard enough to crush a 10 cent gumball). Your keepers should be stuck right on your magnet.
Now remove spring and grab your Stem Seal Puller.
(you can put some duct tape around the edges of the pliers so you wont scratch the head if you like.)
Clamp down onto the puller and twist it to make sure that its broken loose, then quickly pull back on it and hopefully you will have successfully removed it.
(For me it seemed easier to do this step quickly and make sure you dont hit yourself in the face like i did, lol.)
Now grab a q-tip and put some Marvel Mytery oil on it and clean your valve stem. Then use your Dental pick to lightly (not with tip) rub the base to make sure all rubber is gone.
Pick up your intake side of stem seals (90913-02106) and coat one with MMO and gently insert it onto the valve stem making sure you dont cut it with the sharp edges. (I kindof rolled mine onto it)
Next you will take the 10mm socket you have and push it onto the valve guide. Now this is important! you will feel 3 clicks. first click is your 10mm snapping over the spring, the second is the first rubber lobe snapping around the valve seat and the third is a fully seated seal. I Also rolled mine lightly with the socket just to make sure it was on but dont put too much pressure on it.
Replace your spring and retainer, then with your fingers put the keepers on the top and press them down until its around the vavle stem and its a tight fit.
Now, rip a piece of notebook paper and lay it on top of the keepers and retainer, then with you keeper installation tool centered over it firmly push down about a half an inch then release. You might want to double the paper over to make it thicker but i didnt need to.
Replace the bucket onto the valve and continue to the next one.
Do all the intake sides, remember to set each cylinder to tdc and zip tie the ratchet and apply air pressure.
After your done i used marine grase to coat the buckets and such for lube.
Exhaust side is a little different. First you will need a #3 phillips to remove the vaccuum actuator for the turbo so you can get to your seals easier.
Also note that every exhaust seal left rubber on the valve that has to be scrapped off!!! The exhaust seals do not click like the intake ones do so dont panic, just be sure that they are fully seated without pushing too hard on them.
If you have any questions please pm or email me and i will be happy to help you through it. I can also help you on the phone if needed.
I have included some more pictures and some short video clips of this.
Videos:
Removing the keepers
Installing the keepers
Installing keepers #2
Pictures:
All pictures and videos can be found here
http://www.42l.com/gallery/valvestemseals
Ok This How-to describes the removal/installation of the valve stem seals on a mkiv-tt
The only tool that you will need to buy are the valve stem removal pliers. You can use either the short or long kind, but this is a must!!
Stem Seals:
Exhaust: 90913-02088
Intake: 90913-02106
Other stuff:
Telescoping Magnetic autozone screwdriver tool
About 2 ft 3/4" pvc piping
notebook paper
about 2 rolls of 2" duct tape (kidding) you will need some tape, however.
Compression tester
Marvel Mystery Oil (solvent/cleaner) MMO
Marine grease (assembly lube)
About 30 cotton balls
some q-tips
5 lb or less rubber mallet
Dental pick or similar
10mm deep socket with extension
valve cover seals (2)
cam seals (2)
Also, i recommend an air compressor for this. I used about 22psi so a hobby compressor should work fine. If you decide to
do the rope trick, let me for-warn you, your rope can drag unwanted "crap" into your combustion chamber and you also
run the risk of it tying itself in a knot inside your chamber (eew!)
Making Your Tools:
1) Keeper Removal Tool: cut your pvc pipe about 9" in length and remove burrs. Place it around your magnetic screwdriver and tape it up. You may have to remove the bit holder if it has one.

2) Keeper Installer Tool: cut another piece of the pvc about the same size and tape one end good enough not to hurt your hand when you push hard against it and leave the other end burr free and open.

First off take your compression tester and **REMOVE** the one way check valve inside of it, blow through it to be sure its open.
Go ahead and remove everything you need to get the valve covers off..
After all that is done remove the intake valve cover and turn your #1 piston to TDC and remove timing belt and both cam gears.
Remove your cam per the service manual instructions and keep all cam bearing caps in order.
Now it is time to use your cotton balls!! put 2 in each crevice and make sure that nothing can fall into the head, or worse into the oil passage tunnels!!

**IMPORTANT**
Remove spark plug #1 and verify tdc with flashlight, then insert *modified compression tester hose.
Use a 22mm socket on the crankshaft pully and zip tie the ratchet to where it will not let the piston move once you pressurize it. (This is for contingency, if i hadnt done this i think i would have lost my valve because the compression tester hose had that one-way check in it and i think this saved me!!)
*Make sure that you remember to move the airhose and set new piston at tdc when you get to them!
*************
Now, apply air pressure to the cylinder. Grab your trusty keeper removing tool and use the magnet to get that bucket out. Now you should see the valve retainer and the 2 keepers that hold it all together.
Take you remover tool and center it on the retainer, then give it a wack with your mallet (Hard enough to crush a 10 cent gumball). Your keepers should be stuck right on your magnet.
Now remove spring and grab your Stem Seal Puller.
(you can put some duct tape around the edges of the pliers so you wont scratch the head if you like.)
Clamp down onto the puller and twist it to make sure that its broken loose, then quickly pull back on it and hopefully you will have successfully removed it.
(For me it seemed easier to do this step quickly and make sure you dont hit yourself in the face like i did, lol.)
Now grab a q-tip and put some Marvel Mytery oil on it and clean your valve stem. Then use your Dental pick to lightly (not with tip) rub the base to make sure all rubber is gone.
Pick up your intake side of stem seals (90913-02106) and coat one with MMO and gently insert it onto the valve stem making sure you dont cut it with the sharp edges. (I kindof rolled mine onto it)
Next you will take the 10mm socket you have and push it onto the valve guide. Now this is important! you will feel 3 clicks. first click is your 10mm snapping over the spring, the second is the first rubber lobe snapping around the valve seat and the third is a fully seated seal. I Also rolled mine lightly with the socket just to make sure it was on but dont put too much pressure on it.
Replace your spring and retainer, then with your fingers put the keepers on the top and press them down until its around the vavle stem and its a tight fit.

Now, rip a piece of notebook paper and lay it on top of the keepers and retainer, then with you keeper installation tool centered over it firmly push down about a half an inch then release. You might want to double the paper over to make it thicker but i didnt need to.

Replace the bucket onto the valve and continue to the next one.
Do all the intake sides, remember to set each cylinder to tdc and zip tie the ratchet and apply air pressure.
After your done i used marine grase to coat the buckets and such for lube.
Exhaust side is a little different. First you will need a #3 phillips to remove the vaccuum actuator for the turbo so you can get to your seals easier.
Also note that every exhaust seal left rubber on the valve that has to be scrapped off!!! The exhaust seals do not click like the intake ones do so dont panic, just be sure that they are fully seated without pushing too hard on them.
If you have any questions please pm or email me and i will be happy to help you through it. I can also help you on the phone if needed.
I have included some more pictures and some short video clips of this.
Videos:
Removing the keepers
Installing the keepers
Installing keepers #2
Pictures:
All pictures and videos can be found here
http://www.42l.com/gallery/valvestemseals