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Getting Head Work Done

942 views 17 replies 5 participants last post by  xyzzy72 
#1 ·
My Talon is currently under construction and getting a lot of new stuff put on it while my license is suspended. :D Before I started ripping it apart, when it would sit and idle you could see a small amount of smoke coming out of the tailpipe. If the car idled for a minute or more when I step on the gas a big puff of smoke would come rolling out of the tailpipe. I can't really tell if it's smoking while I'm driving down the road. From what I've read it's the valve seals that are causing it to smoke this way. I am having the head cleaned, inspected and the valve seals replaced. Is there anything else I should have done to the head or that I should look for? I don't want it to smoke when I get it all put back together.
 
#2 ·
Get the bottom of the head resurfaced to be sure you have a good seal with your head gasket. Also I would throw some arp head studs on the car when you put it back on. Don't resuse the stock head bolts, they are designed for one use only. And if you want to be king shit, you could have your head ported&polished.
 
#3 ·
Are the ARP head studs really necessary for a NT? Also, I read that the stock head flows plenty for a NT, if I port & polish won't I lose way to much low end torque?
 
#4 ·
If you do it right you won't lose anything. On our cars since they are na, you want to only mildy polish the intake side of the head. The rough surface in the ports helps to disrupt the air and make it scatter all over the place, where as a smooth surface will keep the airflow very straight. The air scattering is good because it helps to atomize the fuel better and gives a better burn because there is air all over the place, instead of in a straight stream.

In a turbo car, the air is so pressurized it is best to go with optimal flow and polish the intake thoroughly.

On the flipside, you want the exhaust gases to leave as efficiently as possible. Polishing the mess out of the exhaust side is recommended to move the gases out quickly and uniformly. ;)
 
#5 ·
For monetary reasons I will probably just have the head cleaned and maybe polished if it's not to expensive.

Do you think replacing the valve seals will solve my smoking issue? Also the car burns about 1 quart of oil every 2 weeks.
 
#6 ·
Ozzmosis said:
For monetary reasons I will probably just have the head cleaned and maybe polished if it's not to expensive.

Do you think replacing the valve seals will solve my smoking issue? Also the car burns about 1 quart of oil every 2 weeks.
Probably. It couldn't hurt that's for sure. I had the luxury of shooting a tb cleaner straw down my intake and had to take it off. What I saw was nothing short of amazing :eek: There was this sludge monster that had attached itself to all but one of my valves. I also burn oil, about the same as you coincidentally. If the compression tests are good and it only smokes at idle, I think you will be okay with just having the seals changed.

BTW its a lot easier to polish the head yourself because all you need is a wire wheel, and dremel/polishing set. You don't have to worry about messing anything up as long as you don't hurt the mating surfaces of the head. Which you should be nowhere near anyhow.
 
#7 ·
Ozzmosis said:
Do you think replacing the valve seals will solve my smoking issue? Also the car burns about 1 quart of oil every 2 weeks.
I have the same problem on my 97 GS. I was told it's my valve cover gasket (oil on the ground) and my camshaft seals (blue smoke from tailpipe). They couldn't tell how bad the head gasket is (which I've had replaced once already) since the valve cover gasket is leaking oil over it. So my first steps are that valve cover gasket and camshaft seals, get the engine cleaned, then go from there.
 
#8 ·
xyzzy72 said:


I have the same problem on my 97 GS. I was told it's my valve cover gasket (oil on the ground) and my camshaft seals (blue smoke from tailpipe). They couldn't tell how bad the head gasket is (which I've had replaced once already) since the valve cover gasket is leaking oil over it. So my first steps are that valve cover gasket and camshaft seals, get the engine cleaned, then go from there.
Camshaft seals? What are camshaft seals? I've never heard of camshaft seals.:confused: :rolleyes:
 
#9 · (Edited)
#14 · (Edited)
xyzzy72 said:

He complains of an oil leak on the engine itself, not blue smoke (oil burning, in case you didn't know:rolleyes: ). I said failed camshaft seals will not leak oil into the exhaust path. If you would have read more on that page instead of hastily trying to prove me wrong, you would've found the answer.zzzz


BTW I meant you should answer yes to:rice:
 
#15 · (Edited)
AWDPetmitsu said:



He complains of an oil leak, not blue smoke (oil burning, in case you didn't know:rolleyes: ) I said failed camshaft seals will not leak oil into the exhaust path. If you would have read more on that page instead of hastily trying to prove me wrong, you would've found the answer.zzzz

ummm....what? where did THAT come from??


And no I don't :rice:
 
#16 ·
I don't know where your post of that link went, but it was there, otherwise I could not have quoted that link. BTW it's possibly your valve stem seals leaking. I don't know how closely they inspected your rings and valve stem seals.zzzz
 
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