Valves
 

Hello,

I got what I hope is simple question. I have a A6 with anywhere from 1 to 5 valves bent in cylinder #2. I was looking to and the valves look to be $20.00 a piece from ECU tuning. Does anyone know if it is possible to replace these without going to a machine shop? if not some kind of tip or advice would be awesome.


Thanks,

Dennis

if you need to ask, I wouldn't recommend you do it.

You don't need a machine shop.

You may need to cut the seat, that would require some tools. However I would bet most just seat them in with lapping compound.

I would literally be impossible to bend that many valves in one cylinder and no others. You had better pull the heads and take a look at the damage. This is not a speculation project. You could also have sent a valve stem through the piston or destroyed the valve seat or guide during the process.

What exactly happened? Timing belt break?

I wasnt going to work on the car myself I was going to have someone do it. I just was asking. it was the timing belt, it never broke but the teeth stripped on the crank pully. We ordered the timing kit from ECS turning and did the whole change (belt,thermosat and pump) once we got it all back together we fired it up and at low idle we you could hear a valve tap, we did a compression test on all cylinders and cylinder two was the only one not holding proper compression. our thoughts were that we had a bent valve on that cylinder so we started looking to buy new valves but then we started talking on what it takes to set new valves in (tools). if you got any suggestions i would appriciate it.
Thanks-

You will will have to pull that one head. When you do you will need new head bolts and a gasket set. That will cost you a couple hundred. You typically cannot buy just one side of gaskets and bolts so you will end up with extras. When you get the head off you will need a valve spring compressor and the special pliers for removing the spring keepers. In addition to the valves you should also get valve guide seals.

When you get the head off carefully inspect all of the valves and make sure no other ones are damaged. If you have any doubts order more valves.

Jackmup is right, you probably can get away with just lapping them in. When I did this I decided to send the heads out because once you do all of the work to get them off you might as well get them cleaned and machined so the heads are flat and true. I think I paid about $300 for the machining and installation of all new valve guide seals (no valves were needed). It was well worth the money.

You'll need a polly-drive for the head bolts.

A valve spring compressor and I also had to make a few special adapters for mine so I could compress the spring and re-install the keepers without aggravation.

You will need labels for all the hoses, wires and secondary air junk.

All of the timing tools again.

metric sockets, allens, torx, etc.etc...

I rebuilt both of my heads. it took 2 long days and I've done heads before. But never like those. I was a lot of work.

Be sure they replace all of your valve seals while there.

Also order some extra keepers they are real small.

If you aren't ging to do the work yourself, ask the person who will be doing it. If they cannot answer all your questions, find someone else!

Good luck,

Bob