Hey all! Had my first great day with the Mav in a couple of years. I have been struggling to keep it running since I was abandoned by my "seasoned" helper during the carburetor rebuild. Anyway, decided to do a compression test to see if it was worth doing any more work, and the results were near perfect! Main issues remaining are that the spark plugs get covered in oil about a day after cleaning them, and that the hi-low idle cam isn't hooked up properly. I'm going to replace the valve seals, and would like to know if anyone has a good step-by-step guide I can follow. I had no luck finding one by searching the forum, though I did find a few posts that spoke in more general terms. So if you have a good procedure for replacing the valve seals, please post a link or the steps here. And if you have any ideas about the hi-low idle cam, I'd love to hear your thoughts about that too. Here are some details, in case they matter: 1973 Mav, 250/6 cyl engine, carter RBS carburetor. Thanks in advance!
If your going to do the valve seals in the car your going to need a special tool that screws in to spark plug hole(I think you can use a compression gauge hose) and an air compressor that can give constant pressure to it. Start by removing the valve cover, then remove all the rocker arms and push rods but remember to keep them in order. Then take a socket and a hammer give them enough of a tap just to make it easier to remove the keepers. Hook up the air to it and compress the spring, use a magnet to remove the keepers then remove the spring. Remove the old seal (if theres anything left) coat the new one with vasoline and install. Then reverse for install make sure to torque everything to spec.
If your car has a standard trans, be sure its out of gear, cause the engine will turn when the air is hooked up.
good point... also...disconnect batt./pull up E-brake/chock wheel(s). ...take your time and have fun...
The only special tool needed is a clothes line or small cotton rope...Remove spark plug, bring the piston up about almost TDC. Stuff a clothes line in the cylinder leaving enough rope out so you can pull the rope back out when your finish. Turn the engine by hand to TDC. The Rope will fill the cylinder and keep the valve from falling down when you remove the keepers. After you finish replacing the valve seal tune the engine backwards and remove the rope.
UMM< you've made a good list here, but you've got the part about using a socket to free the valve locks (keepers) out of order with the part about hooking up the compressor. The air pressure should be applied before trying to remove the valve locks. I would also suggest having each cylinder at TDC before applying the air just incase something happens to the air supply while the valve is free to drop into the cylinder. Burst air hoses is something that can happen at the wrong time.
how do you keep it there after applying air ? post #4 "the engine will turn when the air is hooked up. "
Use something such as a breaker bar and socket on the damper, wedged against the frame to prevent the crank from turning. Or a screw driver thru one of the flywheel/flexplate holes, wedged against the bellhousing. You definately don't want to loosen any of the valve stem keepers before appying air to the cylinder.
