| Author | Message | ||
     Erik G. Burrows (Erik) Senior Member Username: Erik Post Number: 269 Registered: 04-2002 |
My 50k mile old engine was just diagnosed as having a sticking exhaust valve. It's bad enough to give a very noticable shake to the vehicle when idling. My question is: How dangerous is it to drive it like this? What's the worst damage that could occur? How likely is it? | ||
| Erik G. Burrows (Erik) Senior Member Username: Erik Post Number: 270 Registered: 04-2002 |
Anyone? Am I going to tear a hole in my engine block driving with a sticking valve? | ||
| Will Cupp (W_cupp) Member Username: W_cupp Post Number: 167 Registered: 07-2003 |
Just run the shit out of it with some Sea Foam in there.  50,000 miles it can't be that bad could it? | ||
| Mike M (Rangeroverhp) Member Username: Rangeroverhp Post Number: 78 Registered: 09-2003 |
Sooner or later you will bend a valve. | ||
| Erik G. Burrows (Erik) Senior Member Username: Erik Post Number: 271 Registered: 04-2002 |
Actually Will, the dealer did a dual-solution cleaning, much like Sea Foam I think. Nada. Thanks Mike, that's pretty much what I was worried about. I found a shop with a competent sounding tech who'll do the job for $1500, instead of the dealer's $2300. Guess the truck will sit mostly idle til after christmas. | ||
| eric johnson (Eric2) Member Username: Eric2 Post Number: 154 Registered: 05-2003 |
If you were to remove the heads, a good shop should charge around $500 to $600 - absolute, highest rate in the U.S.A., for a standard valve job. Of course, since I don't own a shop, I could be full of --it. | ||
| Erik G. Burrows (Erik) Senior Member Username: Erik Post Number: 272 Registered: 04-2002 |
Interesting, but I think that's pretty well over my level of ability. Though I did look at that procedure in my shop manual. | ||
| andy coleman (Andy0826) New Member Username: Andy0826 Post Number: 11 Registered: 11-2003 |
I removed the heads to replace the gaskets, and it wasnt that bad, just be methodical. It took me about a day to get down to them, and half the time to put the thing back together. | ||
| Erik G. Burrows (Erik) Senior Member Username: Erik Post Number: 273 Registered: 04-2002 |
Really... Did you follow the shop (or other) manual, or did you just start digging? | ||
| Peter J. Kelly (Pjkbrit) Member Username: Pjkbrit Post Number: 58 Registered: 05-2003 |
Erik....absolutely have a go yourself....it isn't rocket science and if you take the heads to an engine shop they will do a perfectly good job for you....and I cannot imagine that being more than a couple of hundred. Pete | ||
| Geoff 93 RRC (Geoff) Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 169 Registered: 11-2002 |
There are revised valves ("carbon cutting") and an update to the ECU - new chip I think - that changes the fuel map to avoid future issues. I would check into both. Try posting on the RoversNorth board. Lots of guys have done it there as well. | ||
| trevor griffiths (Trevorgriffiths) Member Username: Trevorgriffiths Post Number: 173 Registered: 11-2002 |
My machine shop shortens the valve guide where it is exposed to the exhaust stream when they perform a valve job. They charge around $300 the valve work on two heads. I have only had one success with Sea-foam treatments. I usually pressure wash the engine to avoid dropping any debris in, but I agree, the job is pretty straightforward. |
