Valve Stem Seals: What to do? *Poll* (1 Viewer)

What would MUD do?

  • Keep driving, check oil

    Votes: 13 52.0%

  • Valve stem seals only

    Votes: 4 16.0%

  • Seals, HG, and "while you're in there"

    Votes: 8 32.0%
  • Total voters
    25

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Heckraiser

Heckraiser

Joined
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I'll post up a poll just for the fun of it, although I'm pretty sure I know what MUD's response will be.

I think I've got leaking valve stem seals. White smoke on start-up, more prevalent when the truck hasn't been driven in a while, along with an odd faint burning smell. I did compression and leak down tests not too long ago, which didn't reveal anything in particular. Also did the blue fluid "block tester" which came out fine, so I'm fairly certain my HG is good. The truck has 323k miles and various oil leaks throughout.

Here are the options as i see it:

1) Keep putting oil in, ignore smoke

2) Attempt replacing valve stem seals without removing head (apparently it's possible)

3) Pull head, replace valve stem seals, full valve job, new head gasket, and various "WYIT" stuff

If going with option three, I would probably hire the local LC Guru just because I have very little free time and limited space with the wife's camper in the garage, so it would be pricey. Which brings me to the final factor in all of this, I am a self-described cheap-ass. :eek:
 
Cheap ass is definitely option 1.
 
I would be tempted to collect a good running spare motor with a lot less miles on it. Maybe do the head job on the fresher motor and wait until you need to replace/rebuild the original? I have done several head jobs around the 200,000 mile mark, and all three of them basically needed valve seals ONLY. The machinist said they only needed minimum cleanup work on the valves and seats and were probably good for another 100,000 miles if not for the seals wearing out.
 
Thanks for posting this! I have the exact same questions.
 
I would do the "rope trick" to replace the valves without removing the head. But it would probably be smart to do the head gasket at that mileage. And as long as you have it out of service, pull the engine and have the bores honed and new rings. And as long as the engine's out, you might as well do an LS swap...

Also, stop making your wife live in a camper. It's mean and takes up important garage space.
 
I tossed around option 2 and 3 for a couple years while doing option 1 as my seals slowly got worse. I eventually went with the “while I was in there” option.

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What is the long term plan for the truck? Do you want to keep it for five or more years? If so, either rebuild the head and do all the while you are in there stuff or buy a different motor and then toss that in after you build it up.

If you are going to move on to something else, just keep feeding it oil. Going as far as replacing the stem seals without pulling the head to have it serviced seems like cutting a lot of work just a little short of what it would be to just pull the head and the benefits of having the head tuned up and getting a new gasket in would outweigh the time savings in my mind.
 
Toyota spec is burn a qt every thousand then in spec. So that being said it is easier to just add oil. Mine is burning oil at valves and has piston slap, been that way for 4 years now. I'm gonna drop a younger motor in since mine is over 300k, and found one with 135k on it. Point being is you can prob drive your current motor for a long time save the money to just do the head, which if you pull and buy the parts for the machine shop you can prob do it for little more then a grand
 
In the Marines I didn't get into gyrocopters unless they had some puddles on the ground. That way I knew they at least had fluid in there somewhere. I feel the same about my cruiser.
 
gummycarbs said:
Also, stop making your wife live in a camper. It's mean and takes up important garage space.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice, I showed her your post and now she's getting ideas. :rofl:

Red Merle said:
What is the long term plan for the truck? Do you want to keep it for five or more years? If so, either rebuild the head and do all the while you are in there stuff or buy a different motor and then toss that in after you build it up.

If you are going to move on to something else, just keep feeding it oil. Going as far as replacing the stem seals without pulling the head to have it serviced seems like cutting a lot of work just a little short of what it would be to just pull the head and the benefits of having the head tuned up and getting a new gasket in would outweigh the time savings in my mind.
Click to expand...

No plans to replace the clunker, I am pretty committed to this pile. Death by rust or traffic collision are really the only things I see ending this relationship at this point--I've spent too much money and the truck is pretty much worthless due to mileage and salvage title. I also have no plans to replace the motor unless it well and truly dies. Great compression at 320k miles. Putting a turbo back on ASAP.
 
Heckraiser said:
Thanks for the advice, I showed her your post and now she's getting ideas. :rofl:



No plans to replace the clunker, I am pretty committed to this pile. Death by rust or traffic collision are really the only things I see ending this relationship at this point--I've spent too much money and the truck is pretty much worthless due to mileage and salvage title. I also have no plans to replace the motor unless it well and truly dies. Great compression at 320k miles. Putting a turbo back on ASAP.
Click to expand...
I would do the head job then. You can do it in two weekends with a week sandwiched between them if you can get into your favorite machine shop's schedule. The motor would probably outlast the rest of the truck at that point. Plus, having the head work done really made my truck feel a lot less tired. It feels much tighter overall than it did before.
 
I would consider how much smoke is considered too much at inspection time. Given you have decided to put a turbo on and you have various leaks, then I would do a 'belt and braces' full head job, and sleep well at night.

Regards

Dave
 
You aren't planning on getting rid of the cruiser and you are going to be turbo'd, just do the whole job and be done with it.

I had the same thoughts a few years back, and ended up going with a Cummins 6BT swap, but for my LX450 with a S/C, I would be going with option 3 if it wasn't already recently done.
 
I have the same ailment, during the last HG job many moons ago, we spaced and forgot to change the seals :angelic:
I add oil, check, etc., etc., the only thing that's really very very embarrassing about this condition, especially when idling in a public area with the AC on (and many are eyeing my babe), is that errrrrr............................. it farts white blue smoke !
 
Last edited:
Same boat here, about a quart every 750 miles or so....maybe 500
Still runs good and smoke doesn't bother me. Will just keep adding oil until I feel like messing with it
 
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