Leaking Valve Guides

[CrashBob]

Now that I have my Duraspark dialed in, it's time for the next issue.
I believe oil is running down the valve guides because when I start up my '65 Mustang 200, she blows a blue cloud and then it goes away until the next start up. In my experience with different motors, this symptom always required either new valve stem seals or in really bad cases, a valve/guide job on the head(s)+ new seals.
Upon reading this and other forums, it appears that there are different types of valve stem seals, some better than others. Which is the best? And where do you get them?
Also, I read somewhere about putting cotton rope in the cylinder and hand cranking the piston up to support the valve when removing the spring assembly. Anybody ever hear or read about that?
Once again, any advise or tips offered will be much apprecaited.

CrashBob-wannabe mechanic

 

[fmartin_gila]

The rope trick does the job without taking a chance of the engine rocking of center if you use air to hold the valve up. I have used both methods in the past and they both work. use 1/4 in cotton rope, insert as much as you can in the spark plug hole(leaving enough tail to pull it back out), then crank the engine(by hand) hard up against it. This will ball the rope up in the cylinder, holding the valve up so you can work on the top end.
Fred

 

[fmartin_gila]

Forgot to mention on that last post, make sure you are on the compression stroke so the valve is seated.
Fred

 

[matt1967]

if yer valve guides are bad, but not too bad, pull the head, and rent a valve guide knurler with a 5/16" bit, will work until you get a full rebuild. if there real bad, just have new bronze guides installed. grab the valves and wiggle them back and forth, if they got lots of play, replace, but a little can be fixed with the knurler. for a stock engine, use stock umbrella seals, teflon " PC " valve seals, are better, but you have to machine the head for them.

 

[mjpchief]

If you are changing the valve seals you will have the rocker arm assembly off of the head anyway. All of the valves will be seated. You will not have to be on the compression stroke.

 

[fmartin_gila]

Thank you, CRS get to me sometimes.
Fred

 

[SteveS]

I just did this a couple of weeks ago to my 82 Cougar 200. I found it very difficult to turn the engine by hand due to the configuration of the fan shroud. I couldn't get a wrench on the main pully bolt. So I used an allen wrench on the power steering bolt. Slow going cranking the piston up on each cylinder. I used the rope method.

On mine the intake valve springs were a bugger to get off. The intake valve springs have an extra piece that I think is called a rotation collar that would not slide down the valve stem easily so the keepers wouldn't release. The whole job was a learning experience. I used original type seals. I found there was no slop in the valve guides so that was not causing the oil leakage. It pretty much took the better part of two days. I bought a valve spring compressor at Kragen and had to modify it as it was clearly set up to compress dual springs so I had to shorten the part that grips the bottom of the springs.

I was getting a big cloud of smoke on start up and was fouling #4 pretty quickly. All the old seals were hard and all but two were broken and at least cracked. It's all better now.

 

[matt1967]

valve retainers are 2 peice on the intake, you need a punch and a hammer. newer exhaust retainers have rotators, and are 1 peice

 

[Hot 6t Falcon]

Crash Bob,

Dang! Everybody here surely gives good advice!

Since you have to take the rocker arm assembly off - read the stick post on cleaning the oiling holes in the rocker arms and the rocker arm shaft.

http://fordsix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29111

Good Luck with your project