Urgent advice - should I get the valve stem seals done when head gasket replaced?

[Setanta]

Any thoughts on this?

Head gasket is being replaced on a 300SL and they, when head off, said that the valve stem seals could do with replacing as fairly "coked up" - this would add 50% to the cost of the job.

Am I better off getting them done too or just leave it as a head gasket replacement job?

Many thanks for any advice

 

[Blobcat]

If your keeping it I would get them done.

 

[television]

Any thoughts on this?

Head gasket is being replaced on a 300SL and they, when head off, said that the valve stem seals could do with replacing as fairly "coked up" - this would add 50% to the cost of the job.

Am I better off getting them done too or just leave it as a head gasket replacement job?

Many thanks for any advice

Did your garage say who was going to do this,its normal practice to send the head to a machine shop specialist to lap the valves etc

 

[BLONDIE]

The extra money I assume is for striping the head down, to change the valve stem seals. It is worth getting these changed at this point, as the seals can seriously affect oil burning, and would be more costley to replace at a later date.

 

[Setanta]

They didn't say who was going to do the valves - they did say that they had to send the head away to get planed (cannot remember the phrase) down and as the head was off, they had a look at the valves - had brought it there on the basis of them saying that they would have a look at it and advise rather than "mandatory to be done"

While they advised that it would be better that they be done now, it was not a case of that it must but I thought I would run it by you guys on here for a second opinion.

Many thanks for your comments and advice

PS: yep - the increased cost was due to the valves quote

 

[BLONDIE]

Did they mention if the valve guides were worn? This could also be expensive.
The phrase you are looking for is "skimmed".

 

[Setanta]

Thanks - long day at work and mind is completely gone *grin*

No, they said that "coked up" - that said, I will call them again tomorrow (hoping that not too late!) and see what the diagnosis in terms of "will it go pop to a very expensive tune not long after I leave"



Sorry about this, it's all gobbledygook to me but I am trying to learn...and fast!

 

[television]

It would be normal for the people that did the face grinding to do the valves, it is worth having it done while its all off.

The machine shops can do it far better than the garage can by hand. and it comes back as new.

 

[fouskos]

I suggest that you should change the guides too since you have already ´opened´ the engine.

 

[television]

I suggest that you should change the guides too since you have already ´opened´ the engine.

The valve stems and guides are normally checked and only the ones that need that are out of spec will be changed,thats the way it is normally done.