Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Maintenance How To on Valve seal replacement

Searched all through Duratec Perf, maintenance and troubleshooting. I am looking for a detailed how to on replacing the valve seals.

Any help wouldbe greatly appreciated. Thanks

Anyone??? I know someone out there can help!

I've changed a lot of valve seals in my time, but I've never seen a need on a Duratec.

To do it, you need compressed air, a "vavle hold" tool that applies compressed air through the spark plug hole on each cylinder to hold the valves up and in the head while you disassemble the valve train (followers) and remove the valve spring keepers and valve spring for all 24 valves one at a time while you change the valve seals. I'm pretty sure you need a special tool to remove the valve spring keepers and valve springs. I suspect that it is the same tool I have used on Lincoln Mark VIII engines. On that engine, I was into it to replace broken valve springs, not worn valve seals.

Why do you think you need valve seals?

Well, I know my rings are bad, but I am getting the blue puff of smoke on initial start up. Do you need to remove the cams or can you use the spring tool to compress and slide everything off without cam removal?

Thanks.

With the right tool, you should be able to remove the valve springs without removing the cams.

If you knlow your rings are bad, why bother with the valve seals before going into the einge to replace the rings?

If you think your porblem may be carboned up rings, check out Bob Is The Oil Guy, the oil and gas additive forum, and look for posts on a product called "Auto RX". Many there have posted that it will clean up fouled up ring packs.

www.bobistheoilguy.com

Thanks for the info.

Still looking for info on how to actually replace them instruction wise.

Thanks again.

I received the following email from Terry Haines. His opinion is of course, highly respected. He points out that what you are observing is most likely from bad valve seals from a neglected engine. He also points out that the best way to handle it is to remove the heads and perform a proper valve job with proper clean-up at the same time. I agree.

That said, I have changed valve seals on many engines over the years without pulling the heads. It is a matter of finding the proper tools and, as you did in starting this thread, finding the correct instructions. It may be worth your effort to obtain a copy of the Ford shop manual. The CD or DVD versions are frequently available for sale and you should be able to find a source with a search.

If you do choose to replace the valve seals without removing the head you should still do something to clean the other side of the valves, at least with some injector cleaner added to the fuel or better yet with a chemical cleaner vacuum suck.

Terry's message:

If the owner has 'a puff of blue smoke' on start up
this is a sure sign of bad stem seals and not
rings. Bad stem seals allow oil past them while the
engine is sitting overnight,this seeps into the intake
and gives the blue smoke on start up. It has been my
experience on all V6's that the intake valves always
have a lot of carbon build around the valves stems due
to hardned /worn seals....even below 100,000 miles.The
best fix is a head overhaul with recut seats,refaced
valves,valves hand lapped and new seals & springs.TH

HMS Inc...the ONLY speedshop in the USA dedicated to Contour'...Visit my 'Forum' at www.FordContour.org ..Lots of information to help you with your Contour...We are 'THE' MTX75 Transmission Experts in the USA....

I have the Ford CD Mike. Why don't you just put another damned engine in that thing!?! :-P

Thank you very much for the information. I really appreciate the response. Now to find a Ford Service DVD.