valve seals.

[JordanT]

I am on the final steps of dropping a low miles l26 with a gen v m90, l67tb, headers, and fwi into my car. Been collecting parts for about a year. I had a machine shop check the l67 heads I got over for me around the beginning of summer. They said the heads were fine that they crack checked them and cleaned them up for me. When I picked them up almost all the grease and grim was off them and they had some minor surface rust that wasn't there when I dropped them off. I bought valve seals and was planning to do them before I put the heads on. I ended up needing to put everything together sooner then I planned and forgot to do the valve seals.

I was planning to start the car up for the first time today.

After doing some reading online it sounds like if the shop baked or hot tanked the heads the valve seals might be ruined, what do you guys think?

If the seals are ruined what is likely to happen? I am guessing it will just burn some oil but I'm worried it will cause some kind of catastrophic failure.

I have today and tomorrow off work and after that really need the car to go back to being my daily driver without pulling it apart again until probably January.

If I do need to do the valve seals before starting it about how long of a job is that for most people?

This is my understanding of what I'd need to do, any tips or corrections are appreciated. I've never done these before.

Pull off valve covers/rockers
use adapter with air compressor through spark plug hole to keep valve in head
compress valve spring
take off retainers
take off spring
take off seal
push new seal on
put back together

Thanks for the help.

[willwren]

New seals should have been in the plan before starting. Don't forget that there are different part numbers for intake and exhaust valve seals. I strongly suggest you replace them.

I'll move your topic to the proper section for you. This section is for Performance IMPROVING topics only.

[JordanT]

Thanks for moving it to the right section. I purchased the viton valve seals from zzp planning to put them on before installing heads and forgot to put them on. I will be putting them on. I am trying to decide if the car can safely be driven with the current ones until next year when pull the car apart again to do cam and maybe heads or if I am risking destroying something by waiting. I need the bonneville sooner then I anticipated and If I have to do valve seals I have to wait until I can borrow my friends valve spring compressors and his adapter for the air compressor.

[willwren]

First off, I'm shocked your heads were tanked with the OEM seals NOT removed. They should have been by the guy that cleaned your heads.

God only knows how much grit, dust, or solvent got into those seals. Are your valves and engine internals worth the risk? If it were me, I wouldn't wait. Is there risk? YES. How much? That depends. Are you willing to take any (even slight) risk? That's up to you.