Doing the heads (still). NAPA totally hosed me, had to "order" me the head set kit, took about 3days to get here. When it finally arrived it was the wrong one! The kit was up to year 84. Mines an 85. So now I'm running out of time because I had planned on working on this over the weekend.

 

NAPA does have the individual gaskets, IE, Head, intake,exhaust etc. But no valve stem seals; correction they have "intake" side seals no exhaust side. And evidently there are none anywhere. Not even my local Soob dealer has em.

 

My question is, can I get away with NOT doing the valve seals? Just take care of the Head gaskets and be done. Or wait till I have the right parts and do it properly?

 

What would you recommend???

 

My nature says wait and do it right, but I'm getting frustrated with these cars. My 92 Yukon just ************ the bed on me yesterday so now I'm down to one car between the whole fam. NO-GOOD!

I'm assuming that you ran this engine before? If there was no puff of smoke at start-up; you are probably ok to reuse them. I would check to see if they are still intact and pliable. If they are cracked or hard, I would replace them. You might be able to use some from a small block chevy or something. They are supposed to allow a small amount of oil to pass through them so too tight would be bad. Just make sure you file the burrs off the valve ends so you don't destroy the new seal upon installation.

I'm assuming that you ran this engine before? If there was no puff of smoke at start-up; you are probably ok to reuse them. I would check to see if they are still intact and pliable. If they are cracked or hard, I would replace them. You might be able to use some from a small block chevy or something. They are supposed to allow a small amount of oil to pass through them so too tight would be bad. Just make sure you file the burrs off the valve ends so you don't destroy the new seal upon installation.

 

No smoke, in fact at the time I stopped driving it, all it was doing was pressurising (sp?) the radiator. No oil in the water or viceversa, no smoke out the pipe.

Can I pull the heads without removing the cam blocks?

was there seals on the exhaust? some engines only run seals on the intakes, the intake valves are under vacum,suck oil, the exhaust valves are under pressure blow. good luck. JR

160,000 miles?

you can get away with just replacing the head gaskets without issue. it would be nice to do it perfect and have a complete valve job, cracks repaired, valve seals replaced and all that but you would be fine to do it if the motor ran fine prior like boostednuts said.

 

i'd be more concerned about cleaning the head bolts and head bolt holes out really good so the head gasket lasts. don't forget to retorque the head gaskets if the manufacturers calls for it. Subaru OEM EA82 head gaskets require a retorque. in which case, don't seal your cam carriers when you install them. leave them clean...run the motor up to operating temperature like the retorque procedure calls for. then open it up, retorque and install the cam carriers with sealant after retorquing it. no point in cleaning up and installing with sealant twice...that's an annoying task to do once even.

 

i ordered valve stem seals for an XT6 from the dealer before, surprised they couldn't hook you up. not enough time maybe? mabye someone on the group has some to send you? i'm kind of far, but i have some XT6 valve stem seals at home that would work on an EA82...guess the carbed ones are the same. all these members in washington i'd guess someone has some lying around like i do, post in the marketplace forum maybe?

i wouldnt pull the valves out just to do seals. if you were going to have a valve job done, then its nessecary, but if all your are doing is fixing a head gasket leake, leave them alone.

a couple hours less work too.

Thanks for everyone's help!

Turns out I got a kit from Schucks, IE; Parts America, Kragen's, Checker.

It's a Fel-Pro kit but it's the right application so I don't care. I still think I'm going to leave the valve seals alone, simply because I don't have a compressor tool and don't feel like renting one for who knows how long.

 

Also will someone please clarify something for me!?!?

I've heard them called, Cam Towers, Cam Carriers, Cam Blocks, Rocker box, Cam Box. Are we using these terms interchangably or is there something I'm missing?

 

The section just below the valve cover that the cam is a part of; it's seperate from the cylinder head, What is that called once and for all?

 

Thanks!

 

Also will someone please clarify something for me!?!?

I've heard them called, Cam Towers, Cam Carriers, Cam Blocks, Rocker box, Cam Box. Are we using these terms interchangably or is there something I'm missing?

 

The section just below the valve cover that the cam is a part of; it's seperate from the cylinder head, What is that called once and for all?

 

Thanks!

 

I call it a Cam Tower but all of those are technically correct.