Forums Forums Enthusiast Forums A - Z Autowirral Valve oil stem seals - rope trick

Has anyone done the rope trick to change the valve stem oil seals?

I want to change the oil seals but don't want to take the cylinder head off at the moment - yes, I'm in denial, I don't want to know what lurks inside - that can wait until the weather is a bit more reliable.

Any recommends on the rope to use, proper white cord or blue/orange poly stuff???

Rope trick - piston to bottom - feed [2m of 6mm ????] rope into cylinder through spark plug hole - turn engine to compress rope which will hold the valves up. Then use a topside spring compressor to remove spring and change the seals.

Alternatively there is the compressed air method - which I don't fancy, if something goes wrong the valves will drop - I prefer the idea of something physical being in the way to support them.

I need to check first to see that the springs aren't too deep-seated to get a topside spring comressor in, but I think there is.

take the head off for the best way, dont skimp, its easy on them!

Sounds like some oily fun! Rather you than me DD. I'm too lazy to even change a wheel these days...

Haven't figured out if it has dry or wet liners yet - I think its dry. If its wet liners, I guarantee the liners will move so I want to avoid this.

I will take the head off in the near future, I just want to get the smoke down to the level where the MOT station can see what car it is first

I've got a couple of syringes to get rid of the big wells of oil the head holds, means I don't run out of bed linen

what engine is it buddy?

Wouldn't it be easier to drive it into the dock?

what car is it? Not your Corsa?

the 1.1 is dry linered

Nah, its the peugeot, been getting stuck into it recently ....

So far ....

New Thermostat
New Radiator Fan Switch
Replaced Indicator/headlamp stalk
New Cambelt
New Rear screen washer jet
New OS Headlamp assembly
Cleaned/set spark plugs
New Exhaust flexi-gasket
New rocker cover gasket
New Rocker cover/baffle-plate spacers
Set valve gaps

Got given the wrong exhaust gasket the first time, got the right one later but was being a stubborn little get, and the gear-change linkage and anti-roll bar and other supports are totally in the way making it more than awkward.

Some toerag kicked a couple of panels and did some major keying to one side - its not too bad, panels will straighten. At the same time they slashed a BMW's tyres so I got off lucky.

Bas tards...

sounds like you've been busy DD

Not all of them - I have the TU1-H1a engine. I think the deciding factor is whether the cylinder block is alloy or cast, cast has dry-liners and alloy has wet.

Compressed air is safe as houses - cant rememeber the amount of times ive used that method to swap valve springs, retainers and stem seals

me too so long as compressor is on to top up any leaks

mmmm - I've even seen it done - but it would take a leap of faith for me to go for it, on a known good engine I might risk it, on a clapped out 20 year old unknown, I just can't bring myself to do it.

Problems I envisage ....

Compressor failure.
Eleccy failure.
Hoseline failure.
Oil that is sealing piston rings gradually getting pushed out and compressor not too happy about keeping up with air flow.
Stupid mistake by operator (I have plenty of practice with these)
Act of god (usually the case when working on cars - sometimes called sod's law)

The rope trick seems fairly idiot-proof (as long as I don't crank the engine when its holding a valve up) - unfortunately you can't do both rope and air.