When I bought the truck in November 2015, I knew it had a small oil leak but nothing to be concerned about. I has gotten progressively worse as now my entire engine and everything in the area underneath is completely covered in fresh oil. This tells me valve cover gasket is blown. Not really too much toward the top around the cdr but I am going to check it.

My question revolves around the valve seals. I have a good deal of white smoke upon start up and smokes for a good while from time to time. This tells me valve seals, if I'm not mistaken. I need help with the steps to change them WITHOUT having to pull the heads.

 

Piston to TDC, compress spring, remove keepers and retainer, remove spring, check valve guide wear, replace seal, reinstall spring/retainer/keepers. Never done it in the truck but it may be tight getting to the rear most valves with the style compressor that will work only having access to the top side of the head.

Leaks past the intake valve seal will just be burned as fuel, past teh exhaust can cause darker smoke. White sounds like unburned fuel. Low compression or timing retarded. On startup could be glow plugs not working or air intrusion if accompanied by a misfire. FWIW mine smoked white/light color fairly heavily when I got it. Timing was a bit retarded at 6.5*. Setting it at 9* got rid of most of the smoke and greatly improved power and economy. A new pump and injectors took care of the rest. At least one of my old injectors was leaky when I removed them.

 

I pulled my pass glow plug the front one had a brittle wire and crumbled as soon as I touched it. And third back looks a little burnt. Whole bunch of crud on the first three. Haven't pulled the driver side.

Ok so multiple questions from your response.First how do I determine TDC while engine is in the truck. Second I threw my compressor on the valve spring
but I'm not sure its the right one. It compresses the spring but doesn't allow the valve to rise out to get to the stoppers. Looks like a retaining ring on the top plate of the spring but can't get it off.

I don't seem to have any power issues and she starts all nice and happy. She's a little sluggish but I understand that to be the nature of the non turbo.

All that said and from what I have read, seems may not have to worry about the valves at all just simply a new glow plug set/kit with wires (and obviously cover gaskets at this point). But I figure I might as well go a head with the seals while I'm in there if I can.

Also she has over 600k on the original motor so needs a good overhaul anyway. But It would be nice to get it back on the road soon as possible with out leaking oil everywhere. Ran like a champ before pulling it apart just tired of oil puddles and white smoke.

 

first thing i would try is just trying to tighten the bolts holding the valve covers on. my 88 took almost 1 full turn on all the cover bolts by finger to get them snug, where i then gave them an extra 1/4 turn. that totally stopped the valve cover leaks on it. and i have 500,000 miles on mine.

 

and don't compress a valvespring and remove the keepers until you're sure you have the piston tdc and put an air fitting on one or the other glo plug or injector holes .. and pump it up or tdc and thread string into the cumbustion chamber ..

if you take it off wrong you'll drop a valve and have to take the top end apart .. beside no need to replace the valve stem seals anyways just let them fall off it won't hurt anything ..

like tjc said titen up the valve cover bolts or replace the valve cover gasket they are rubber usually and reusable .. but they do get loose ..

 

This sounds just about impossible.

 

maybe it is ? haven't had to fish rope into my idi so idk ..

main concern is poking a swrewdriver in the hole to make sure you have a piston at the top where it's supposed to be ..

and to make sure that valve doesn't drop in there .. by any means ..

also if the precup gets in the way / i don't know ..

my truck just runs so no need to perform this function not 100% sure .. just figure it out but don't lose a valve is all i'm sayin'

 

Also impossible, for that reason. I'm not 100% sure but I believe if you start with #1 at TDC you should be able to go through the firing order rotating 90* for the next firing cylinder to be at TDC with both valves closed. To be sure, look at a crankshaft and even then don't let go of the valve until you feel it resting on the piston.

 

Alright, guys, stop over thinking things.
It's actually really simple to pull off the valve springs with the engine in the truck. Steps are as follows:
1. Rotate to TDC by using the marks on the harmonic balancer.
2. Use one of the /cheap/ spring compressors, the lever style: They are stupid, cheap, and work /awesome/ for this. If you need extra leverage, just put a pair of vice-grips on the end.
3. Install the spring compressor on the #1 intake/exhaust spring. Tighten down the bolt as needed to get leverage on your spring.
4. Lever down. If you are not at TDC, the entire spring keeper and valve will just go down into the hole, /without/ popping loose.
If you are at TDC(or close), you'll feel the valve hit the piston as you lever against it. Just give it a bit more force and the keeper will come loose. Sometimes getting the keepers out is a little bit of a challenge as you are levering at an angle, but a screwdriver to push the valve spring square again if needed will solve that.

Once done with the first cylinder, rotate the engine 90 deg and try again. You don't have to be perfect on the 90; just keep one hand on the spring compressor and you will feel the piston come up.

Repeat for all 8 cylinders. It's an annoying job(you may have to work around some of the injector lines if you don't remove them), but not /hard/, and pretty foolproof with the lever-style(because you can never get enough force on the keeper to pop it loose if the piston isn't pushing up on the valve).

 

i have both a typical overhead spring screw compressor ..

but haven't used one of this lever style ..

and haven't had to remove my springs in my idi at all so haven't used any style .. on this motor ..

but is this simple lever better than a regular screw compressor for this ? how does it not allow the keepers from falling off again ? you just bolt into the middle hole with the rocker arm stud and apply pressure ? i like the concept .. and seems like it'd be quick to remove em ..

i replaced my rockers with the new style but my springs are stock .. though at some point i will install comp 910's so that i can install an exhaust brake mostly so warm the engine more quickly at startup ..

i will probably get one of these tools to try it out though ..