valve stem seals

More and more often my 93 jimmy has been puffing out some smoke when I start it up. From what I know, it the valvestem seals. Would thicker oil help at all? Also, what happens when the valve stem seals break? Would it lead to any other damage on the car?

Reply to
JimmyVortex
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I doubt that thicker oil will help you much. There will be no other damage to the car if the valve seals happen to "break". In most case, they simply get hard with age and become very brittle. They don't seal well when they are brittle. The only real fix is to replace the valve seals. GM has a kit available with the original o-ring seals, and updated umbrella seals for both the intake and exhaust valves.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

Thicker oil may help a little but personally I would not even worry about it until it gets to the point that you are adding a quart of oil every 800 or so. It is lots a lot more troublesome than it really is.

Reply to
TheSnoMan

How much would it cost to get valve stem seals fixed?

Reply to
JimmyVortex

The seals are cheap, about 50 bucks or less but the labor will get you if you farm it out. I would guess 300 bucks or more for seals and labor at a repair place, even more if it is a dealer.

Reply to
SnoMan

thanks for the post. Not just for this problem, but for most of my other problems to.

Reply to
JimmyVortex

Reply to
David Johnson

Not really, while valve seals can cause some oil consumption problems that are not critical, they are easy to replace without removing heads and there failure while the rest of the engine is in good shap is not that uncommon either. I would not wory about them untill your oil consumption exceeds a quart ever 800 to 1000 miles or so.

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Reply to
TheSnoMan

Depending on how hard you drive and how bad they are leaking will determine any damage. A fuel oil mix burns at a hotter temp than just fuel. The more oil the hotter exhaust gas. I used to just put up with the smoke but than one day towing my trailer I burned an exhaust valve. If you are keeping the vehicle I would just replace the seals, it really isn't that big a job. You don't need to remove the heads.

Reply to
calhoun

I have NEVER seen a valve burn fron a bad oil seal, NEVER. You had other problems and blamed the seal.

Reply to
TheSnoMan

Since you are the expert, and so certain I had other problems, how many burnt valves have you seen and what do you think caused them? :-)

I know retarded timing will cause hot exhaust but my timing was right on. I know oil/fuel burns hotter than fuel. I know running lean can also cause hot exhaust, (this may be the most common cause) but the valve that burnt was on the cylinder with the failed seal. I can only conclude the seal failure had something to do with the valve burning.

Reply to
calhoun

Or, the burned valve had something to do with the failed seal, which is more likely.

Dave

Reply to
Hairy

YES, I AM AN EXPERT! I have spent 30 yrs working in automotive machine shops and performance shops.I have seen more burned valves than you can imagine! Conclude what yo want to but you are wrong

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Reply to
Al

I have seen a lot in my life, more than I can count. As to the causes it can be anything from to little valve lash on a mechanical cam or a worn lifter lobe the does not let valve fully contact seat properly or let it spend enough time in the seat to propelry cool the valve head. (a very important aspect of operation) A lean mixed can also "fry" the exhasut valves under the right conditions as can badly worn valve guides that do not seat the valve correctly all the time. The number one failure today I would have to say is motor knock or detination because of some peoples continued insistance to use the lowest octane and cheapest fuel they can find in modern closed loop higher comprssion engines. When it occurs enough with enough intesity, it can case the valves to vibrate in the seats and during this virbration leakage occurs and over time errosion of the surfaces sets in and once errosion hits a certain level it accelerates and makes itself known. BTW I studied IC engine design and theories in the 70's while persuing a engineering degree and while the methods of fuel and emmisons control have changed since then, the basic theories and thermodynamic principles that a engine operates on have not changed.

Reply to
TheSnoMan

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