Valve seals

[400eXr1d3rZ]

I'm burning oil on start-up and once it warms up it goes away. Im guessing it valves seals (hoping it is), is their any way i can change them without removing the head?

[underpowered]

nope. got to remove teh head because teh valves have got to come out to replace them. the head it is not that hard to take off on the 400.

[400eXr1d3rZ]

I have a question about gaskets: How much compression did I gain with the Cometic gaskets? I have a 10.8:1 comp piston.

[jeremy_283]

get yourself a valve spring compressor from rocky mountain atv first........... i just replaced mine this weekend while im waitinf for my cylinder to get back..... my first time ever working with an engine and it seems pretty easy.. but i wont really know if i did it all correctly till shes been runnin for a few weeks......... oh and on your springs when you put them back on make sure that the tighter wound end of the spring faces the combustion chamber.... a service manual would make what i am sayig much more clear

[underpowered]

Originally posted by 400eXr1d3rZ
I have a question about gaskets: How much compression did I gain with the Cometic gaskets? I have a 10.8:1 comp piston.

are you using the flexsteel gaskets? are you using all the layers? using the base gasket? if you are using all the gaskets, the compression gain is minimal. but if you are only running one layer of the head gasket and/or no base gasket it will be a noticable difference.

[Crazy Bob]

It is not neccesary to remove the cylinder head to replace the valve seals.
1. Remove the cam cover.
2. Remove the sparkplug and move the piston to bottom center.
3. Place about 3 to 4 feet of soft 1/4" rope/twine down into the
cylinder. YES , you should have tied a LARGE knot into the rope
so that the end of the rope does fall into the plug hole.
4. Turn the crank slow until slight pressure is felt, back off and
turn the crank again until slight pressure is felt. Secure crank
in that postion with a socket on a breaker bar.
5. This will hold the valves fully seated.
6. Remove the valve springs, replace the valve seals , replace the
valve springs.
7. Remove our helpful rope, replace tthe sparkplug.
8. Replace camcover and adjust valve lash.

Crazy Bob