im planning on buying crower cams and the dual valve springs and titanium retainers. How hard of a job is it? do i have to pull off the head to do this job or can i do the job from the top with out removing the head? I do all the work on my car my self i do tranny swaps and clutch installs but ive never opened up a motor so i need some advice let me know
you can do it with the head on by hooking up a fitting to an air compressor in the spark plug holes and injecting air into them to keep the valve’s from falling in, or you can do it with the head off. but while you’re at it, if you’re needing a new timing belt/water pump, might as well do it as it will actually make some parts easier and half the timing belt job will already be done anyway.
yea i actually have the T belt and water pump also… so will i need a new head gasket while i already have the head off? if so which one do you guys recomend?
Machine Shop
Might wanna resurface the head if ur takin it off, and another option is just taking everything to the machine shop to have the head resurfaced and just have them put the new springs/retainers etc in when they put everything back instead of the old parts. (u have to take all those parts out anyway if you’re gonna have them resurface the head/or have em do a valve job on it)
That’s just if ur afraid of doing it wrong. But then u also have to adjust the vavles urself so…it all depends on how confident u are and how much u wanna pay for the extra piece of mind.
Also, if you decide to take it to a machine shop, you may want to get new valve seals, AND valve guides, and just do it all at once. I have seen motors with valve springs and retainers shatter the stock valve guides and destroying the motor. The new spring slams the valve shut and it will take its toll on the valve guide, thats for sure.
If you never have done this before I would recommend taking it somewhere. Sometimes, different companies have different specs as far as the height of the springs goes. Its extremely vital that these specs are adjusted properly.
i’d just wouldn’t recommand crowers at all
head gasket
Head gasket, just buy the whole kit for like 150$ You should replace the cam seal and have to replace the valve cover anyway, just go with the kit, unless you’re planning on milling the head and taking some layers off or something.
right now i have an STR cam seal and my valve cover gasket is brand new as well
kit.
there’s a couple more parts in the kit that you might wanna replace while you’re changin out the cams and all. the valve seals come in the kit, and the two o-rings for the cams come in it (the ones that are on the timing belt side of the engine that go over the camshafts) Might wanna changeout the Vtec solenoid while youre in there if u want. Cant think of anything else besides the little valve cover grommets. Anyway, i was just sayin the kit to make sure all the gaskets are good to go, but its up to you, if u allready have those two pieces then u can buy the smaller gaskets etc, by themselves. I endedup buying a HG, then reallized the kit was needed and have an extra head gasket now. (which ill use later anyway.) Good luck. Lates