How hard is it to cut valves?

Pulled the heads to see what was going on underneath as my valves were not sealing. Luckily the piston tops look real good, just gunked up. Anyway, not sure why this crap was building up like it has been, but it was pretty nasty

http://www.3sgto.org/3000gt-stealth-...tml#post281723

Was going to take them to a machine shop and have the guy dunk the heads, clean the valves up and cut the valves since I'm sure they along with the seats are pitted up. What would be a good price on that, and how hard is it to really do myself since I already have the heads off? I was thinking of making that tool to remove the valves and a co-worker has a parts cleaning tank. All of that is pretty simple, but I've never cut valves and don't want to mess that part up. Also, the valve stem seals are only three years old. Would I need to replace them if the heads go into a tank?

I lapped my valves with a simple lapping tool. Its basically a suction cup on a stick. You apply the gritty valve grinding compound, and just try and start a fire with the stick. It was pretty simple, but I don't know how well it worked, because I haven't installed the motor yet, but it seemed to work well, and when I looked at the valves, it seemed like there was a ring of fresh clean metal.

Not too bad, just takes a long time. Does leave a nice fresh ring for the valve to seat with.

You aren't going to cut valves and seats at home, without major equipment. You can lap the valves in with compound, but a true valve job needs a valve grinder, and head station.

ray will rebuild them for about $400

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Originally Posted by Forest Gump

ray will rebuild them for about $400

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Is that per head or for a pair?

Jeff

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Originally Posted by donniekak

You aren't going to cut valves and seats at home, without major equipment. You can lap the valves in with compound, but a true valve job needs a valve grinder, and head station.

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This. Just, this.

Based on how bad the pictures look, I'd spray the combustion chambers out with brake cleaner or similar and see how bad it is in there, but if you have to take it to a machine shop, expect somewhere in the 350-400 range for a 5 angle valve job. While that's being done, you should get the VSS replaced, and have the valve guides checked for wear. If the valve guides are worn, can get expensive but it's better to replace it once. Total cost of my head job with valve job, guides, viton VSS and everything was 685 with them acquiring the VSS and guides.

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Originally Posted by kywhitelightning

Is that per head or for a pair?

Jeff

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the pair





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Yeah, got the terminology wrong on that one. :) I would lap them as opposed to the cut, though it would be nice to have the equipment. Can't remember if I did the guides at the same time, but the VSS's only have around 10,000-13,000 miles on them.

Use carb cleaner to clean the head out, seems to cut the carbon a lot better than brake cleaner etc..

I'd replace vss while you're in as has been said, no point scrimping.

Any idea why the ports are that badly carboned up?.