January 26, 2017

Simple steps taken before engine valves grinding

It is a matter of time, especially in older vehicles without hardened valve seats; it is your car’s valve and seats that will slowly become rough and worn. As a result, it is obvious that your car will start losing power and burn more fuel. Especially if you do not run lead substitute in your gas on antique vehicles, the engine valves will become pitted and burnt. Now what to do is you can get small micro-welds between your valves and valve seats with each opening and closing of the valve.

Things to be used for Engine Valve Grinding

Besides the tools for removing the heads on your vehicle, the things you will need are a valve spring compressor, a variable speed power drill and either valve grinding compound or turtle wax grinding compound and polishing compound. It is good if you have a new vehicle head gasket set including the head gasket and valve cover gasket.

How to Remove Heads of Vehicle?

As we know that every vehicle is different and have different mechanic layouts, but as far as the head removal is concerned, the general engine layout is same for almost all the vehicles. The procedure is also same for single and two cylinder heads vehicles.

Drain the Radiator

At the very first step, you must drain the radiator. Most of the radiators have a drain valve on the bottom somewhere and you can easily drain the antifreeze into a large bucket to get it save for later use. In the case, if your radiator has no drain valve, what you need is to remove the lower radiator hose from the bottom of the radiator. It is very simple to remove the radiator bottom hose with a long handle screwdriver. To avoid any mess, do not fully remove the hose until the fluid starts to run slowly.

Remove Air Filter

It depends upon the car you have. Remove the air filter and the carburetor if it is fitted in your car. In case if your car is fuel injected, you will need to remove the injector rails. Do it carefully or take professional assistance because it is an important and sensitive work to handle.

Remove Spark Plugs

In the next step, gently remove the spark plugs and for convenience of understanding, mark each plug wire with a piece of masking tape and a permanent marker so you remember where each one goes when you put them back in later. In order to remove the valve cover and cylinder head, there may also be some vacuum hoses or wires which you need to move out.

Remove Intake and Exhaust Manifold

Now, it’s the time to remove the intake manifold and the exhaust manifold of your vehicle. To remove the exhaust is easy because it exists in place after you remove the bolts. Be careful while removing the exhaust bolts because they are very sensitive and normally they break down, especially when they are old. Once you are again tightening the bolts after the process is done, it is highly recommended to use the new bolts to prevent breakage.

Remove the Valve Covers

Now you are in the phase from where you are going to remove the valve covers in order to get the head bolts and valves. When you remove the valve covers, you will clearly see the valves on the top of your engine head. Normally, there is a large bar running across the head from one end to the other, holding the valve rocker arms in place.

Engine Valve Grinding

It is not necessary, but you may not use course grinding compound for valve grinding. If the condition of the valve is not bad, means they are not too much rough, simply you can use fine polishing compound for engine valve grinding. Course grinding compound is only used when the condition of your valves is badly rough. In case, if you do not have both compounds, you can also use the wax grinding compound and polishing compound to grind your valve seats. This is the simple and easy method of engine valve grinding with some necessary steps to be followed.