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- Valve Guides
Valve Guides
When assembling or rebuilding a cylinder head, one of the most important components that can be sometimes overlooked is the valve guide. These parts must be properly installed in order to perfectly center the valve, creating a seal while closed as well as keeping oil from leaking into the combustion chamber due to wear. JEGS offers replacement valve guides and tools for sale from top brands including Dart, Sealed Power, MAHLE, Speedmaster, AFR, and others. Browse our full line of performance valve guides and seals available by size that will help properly center your valves inside of your engine's cylinder heads.
Why You Should Buy Valve Guides
There are different types of valve guides in the aftermarket, depending on the application and use. It is important to purchase the correct valve guide as they are necessary in order to properly center the valve within the cylinder head. This will provide the proper seal when the valve closes. Oil leaks can also be prevented by replacing worn valve guides.
Prevents Oil Leaks
Having proper valve guides installed in your cylinder head and with the proper clearances, along with high quality valve stem seals, ensures leak-free operation. This prevents excess oil consumption as well visible blue smoke while your vehicle is accelerating.
Keeps Valves Properly Aligned And Properly Seated In Cylinder Head
Proper sealing between the valve seat in the cylinder head and the head of the valve is critical to maximize power and performance in your engine. The proper installation of valve guides ensures that the valve will be centered in the head, and with the proper valve guide clearance, will reduce excess noise caused by too much guide-to-valve clearance.
Valve guides play a very important part in keeping the valves perfectly centered in the cylinder head to provide the best seal and prevent valves from sticking and being too loose. When searching for the correct valve guides, it's important to understand how to check for worn guides as well as the installation of valve guides. To help you along the way, we have provided the below questions and answers about valve guides.
How To Check For Worn Valve Guides
Determining when to replace valve guides can be done with some simple observations and tests. Possible symptoms of worn cylinder head valve guides include excessive oil consumption as well as blue smoke under vehicle acceleration (which can be either worn guides or piston rings). Checking the spark plugs for sediment that is grayish or brownish on one side can also be a sign of a worn valve guide(s). With the cylinder head off the engine, check the clearance between a valve stem and the guide. Too much side-to-side movement or "wiggle" of the valve within the guide points to excessive wear. However, if the valve stem has no side-to-side movement or wiggle inside the guide, it's too tight, requiring valve guides replacement. If after coating the valve stem lightly with motor oil and the wiggle is gone, the clearance is correct. If the valve is still wiggling with a coating of oil within the guide, the clearance is too great, also requiring replacement.
How To Install Valve Guides At Home
Depending on the cylinder head type and material, the steps to replacing valve guides can vary and change. It is important to research the specific instructions for your application before installation is performed or get help from a machine shop if you don't fully understand the installation process. In many applications, after removing the old engine valve guides, heating up the cylinder head in a cleaning oven and cooling the automotive valve guides in a freezer will help with reducing clearance issues during installation, in addition to using lubrication. The direction valve guides are installed is also dependent on the specific application. Cutting the seat counter bores with a cutting tool kit may also be necessary in some applications in preparation for guide installation.
Ensure Proper Cylinder Head Valve Operation And Prevent Leaks With Valve Guides From JEGS
When building an engine for your street or race vehicle, it is always important to check valve and valve guide clearances. Left unchecked, worn valve guides will create oil leaks, engine noise, and reduced performance. When valve guide replacement is necessary, view our large selection of cylinder head valve guides and tools that will help improve valve to head sealing and prevent oil leaks.