Does anyone know 100% whether the valve stem seals can be replaced with the heads on the motor? I remember finding a tool a few months back that stated it was for use with the heads on. I cannot find the info now.

Thanks
Ken

 

I've heard it being done with 4.6L's, so I'm sure it's "possible" on the V10 - the one gotcha might be the balance shaft on the driver's side head - it might need to be removed.

What makes you think you need to change the valve stem seals?

 

I hadn't thought before, but I just checked my Hayne's and it shows the tool I finally found last night. Nothing in the book mentions the balance shaft.
Reason I am changing the seals is due to oil usage. It has steadily gotten worse over the last 2 years. Just changed the oil and took a 500 mile trip and had to add 1 quart.
Found the tool online for $27, seals from Summit are less than $3 ea., plus valve cover gaskets, seems cost effective to me. I'm retired so plenty of time to do the work.

Thanks
Ken

 

make sure the PCV system is alright, too.

 

Do you notice a puff of blue smoke from the tail pipe on startup after it's been sitting overnight?

 

Did you verify the oil level after the oil change? If someone else did the oil change they may have accidentally left it low. Pretty common.

Like the two guys above me- I recommend doing some more research about v10 oil usage before digging in to internal engine work.
PCV system is known for some issues. Also there is MUCH discussion about how much oil consumption is normal/acceptable here on FTE. Mine in particular- I bought it 200,000 miles ago and it has always used about one quart per 1,000 miles. The only way I found to reduce oil consumption is to use 30weight oil in it. 5w30,10w30, straight 30. I've experienced it myself that they disappear much slower than the 5w20 that I usually run.

 

I just read your posts again and realize you're talking about the seals- I was thinking guides. Lol sorry.
Also I noticed that you mentioned it has gotten worse over two years.

Let us us know what you do and learn.

 

To answer all the questions, I always do the oil changes myself. Let a quick lube place do it once due to emergency travel situation, and I looked out into the bay while it was in progress, only to see a shower of oil pouring from the underside of my truck. The individual changing the oil had not removed the old seal. 2 seals do not make it better. Needless to say, never let anyone else touch it. Let another place do an oil change on my daily driver once, and they put the wrong weight oil in it, even though it is marked on the oil fill cap.
Any way, yes oil consumption has gotten worse, with a puff of smoke "EVERY" time I start it, no matter how long it sits. Power and mileage have not dropped off. PCV valve is clean, and is changed when the book calls for.
I only drive 3000 mi a year on my truck, as I have a small car as my daily driver. When I do drive it, I put anywhere from 30 to 60 mi/day on average, unless I go fishing, then I put 80 to 120 mi in a day.

When the truck was new I may have to put 1/2 to 1 qt in between oil changes at 5000 to 7500 mi. This stayed the average until about 2014. It has steadily increased from 1 qt every 2500 to 3000 mi, to now only approx. 500 mi and have to add 1 qt.

I have seen everything that has been stated concerning oil consumption, and believe this is the correct path. Removing heads or doing complete head rebuild, or as 1 person recommended to me last week to do a long block, just doesn't seem to make sense. I have 141000 mi on the odometer. (add 10% after about 45000 mi, as this is how far off my speedometer/odometer is after I lifted it and put on the LT315s.)
I ordered the valve cover seals today along with the $26 tool to remove the valve springs. I am driving to Summit Racing tomorrow to look at 2 different sets of seals, as no one local has them in stock. Shipping would cost about what it would take for me to drive and pick them up and I have to drive half the distance anyway tomorrow, so it will give me something to do to kill a day while waiting on everything else to show up.
I will follow up after they are changed. I am going to make it a point to drive it daily for a while just to see the results.

Ken

 

Definitely sounds like some seeping valve stem seals then. Good luck with the R&R!

 

Ken, I think you make a valid case

Most of us here just don't want you to go through a ton of work to have no success. Good luck with it, and definitely report back. Take pics if you can, too!

 

Just remember to put the piston at top dead center before you pull valve stem locks (keepers)off.

If a valve does drop a little you can pull it up and put air to spark plug hole to keep it up so to can reinstall keepers.

A long magnet will be handy for various things...get one.

Ive take a couple valve covers off both sides....it's best if you completely remove the engine wiring harness off coils, injectors, and sensors. To include the bolt on back of passenger head that holds transmission fill tube on. This alows you to get all that clutter away so you can reach things easier.

I person ally would remove intake manifold too, to get the best access availabe.....only a 1hr R&R and $40 for gasket. But it's not required!

Good luck

 

Doesn't seem like a ton of work, but that's just me I guess. After spending weeks at a time on home improvement projects, a couple of 3-4 hour days under the hood is cake. (I say a couple of days, because all of the parts/items are not on hand yet, so I will do what I can 1st day, then finish when the rest arrive)
Just an FYI, the Sealed Power brand and FelPro brand seals look exactly the same. The pictures online are deceiving. Summit did not have the FelPro set in stock, so I bought the others, a little more expensive but I did not have to wait.

I agree rock2610d, this was exactly the route I was headed.

 

KenReb,
How did this go? Can you give any pointers?


I am in basically the exact situation you are, not a daily, puffs oil every time, no power loss... I was just going to live with it because I didn't want to pull the heads, but if I can do it by not pulling the heads, then even better.


Don't you have to pull the front cover though? Timing? Just have so many questions.


Did you find instructions online anywhere?

 

Ok, finished up just after Thanksgiving, due to some other issues that came up and awaiting parts.
Yes, if you have a lot of experience doing this you can probably get away with not pulling the motor. I dropped a spring keeper on the very first valve and had to pull the block. This was on the #1 cylinder. #3 through #5 would have been extremely hard to do due to clearance of the condenser/heater core box. After I removed the block there is definite procedure that needs to be followed, and having a helper would be nice. I did not, which led to the next problem I had. After you position the cylinder at TDC, using the special tool, remove the rocker arm before applying air to the cylinder. This will allow the valve to open slightly to give enough clearance to remove the rocker arm. Then apply air to the cylinder to keep the valves closed. This is where you need the helper to hold the crankshaft to stop rotation. Otherwise, air pressure rotates the engine enough that a valve will open and allow pressure to escape. This is where I had an issue, and one of my valves dropped into the cylinder, so I had to remove the head, so I did both, new head gaskets, new timing set, new oil pump, replaced exhaust manifold studs since 3 on the right head broke. All came out fine on the left head. The valve stem seals were hard when I removed them, not flexible like the new ones.

I have put about 500 miles so far, but not sure about oil consumption. In the first 2 weeks after finishing this my oil pressure gauge started acting up. Since I had to install a direct pressure gauge to troubleshoot, and then again remove, and replace the oil pressure sensor I lost some oil and had to add 1 quart. So I won't know for sure for a little while longer.

If I were going to do this again, I might consider doing a rebuild, but since I am not sure of my results yet, I really don't have enough information to make that decision. I might even consider trying 5W-40 oil first. After everything I have researched I don't see that being a bad choice either. Definitely less work. I did not mind the work myself, nor the expense, but my situation is not the same as everyone.

Hope this info helps.

Ken

 

Thanks Ken. That definitely isn't the result I had hoped to hear. I may just wait and do a full freshen since I'm going to have to fix some manifold bolts also. Might as well change the timing parts and head gaskets also.

I wonder if there is some Lucas oil stuff i can put in and switch it to 40 weight for the next 50 thousand or so miles.