Valve guide change. Can I do it myself ?

[huggy]

My car smoke (a lot) first 15 seconds when cold or after sitting more than 20 minutes.
Compression are OK.

I think valve guides are worn. It is time for a change.

Can I do it by myself?
Could I find unleaded ones or are they all unleaded now?
Perhaps some are better than other ones? Where's the best place to source them?
If guide are worn do I need to change valvestoo or valves are harder and I just need to check them?

Or there is a specialist able to put this new guides at reasonable cost 200kms around Dover (Live near Calais)

Any help welcome !

Thanks !!

[dougal9887]

It's the valve seats, not the guides, which are sometimes changed for running on unleaded. Lotus in fact used a hardened steel seat, as far as I know, and it seems fine with unleaded, at least for the sort of mileages most of these engines see now.
Changing the guides yourself is possible but a challenge and you will need some special equipment.
A suitable mandrel to drift out the old guides without damaging the bores in the head. A means of heating the head evenly to a high temperature (necessary for removal and replacement). A suitable reamer for sizing the new guides once fitted. A valve seat cutter for recutting the seats to suit the new guides.
In summary, this is a job best left to an engineering shop with experience of working on these heads. If the seats do need changed it is not a DIY job.
And yes, your valves will almost certainly need replacing along with the guides. The seats can very likely just be recut.
Sorry I don't know the south coast so cannot recommend anywhere.
Dougal.

[RichardHawkins]

Huggy,

I used Serdi UK in Uxbridge (west of London near Heathrow airport). Whilst talking with them, if I remember correctly, I was told that Serdi is a French company. Might be worth trying to find Serdi in France. I was impressed by the work done for me in the UK.

RIchard Hawkins

[nmauduit]

Bonsoir,

as said above, everything is possible but changing the valve guide is easy to mess, then dropping a guide while running will cost a lot more than the little saving achieved by doing it yourself. For my engines, I'm even picky and valve guides is a job I don't give to a random company just by reputation, I prefer old school machinist who has actual experience on Lotus twin cam engines, and discuss the tolerances, the procedure etc. to make sure.

[diablo]

Contact Rectif 2000 in La Garenne Colombes , they use to work on Lotus head ; they are working for me at the moment . Lotus head are a mess , and need special adjustments for the valves / guide assembly .

[alan.barker]

My car smoke (a lot) first 15 seconds when cold or after sitting more than 20 minutes.
Compression are OK.

I think valve guides are worn. It is time for a change.

Can I do it by myself?
Could I find unleaded ones or are they all unleaded now?
Perhaps some are better than other ones? Where's the best place to source them?
If guide are worn do I need to change valvestoo or valves are harder and I just need to check them?

Or there is a specialist able to put this new guides at reasonable cost 200kms around Dover (Live near Calais)

Any help welcome !

Thanks !!

Bonjour, i suggest you contact a friend of mine he lives near Yvetot Normandy and does a lot of work on Lotus Engines. Tell him i gave you his E-mail <[email protected]> . info 221 kms 2h18mins
Alan Barker

[nmauduit]

Contact Rectif 2000 in La Garenne Colombes , they use to work on Lotus head ; they are working for me at the moment . Lotus head are a mess , and need special adjustments for the valves / guide assembly .

Hello,

for what it's worth, I only give them non valuable, easy to replace parts, just in case... only day to day vehicle jobs.

ad for the initial query, this would be a bit far for the initial request, so is my machinist of choice for LTC work (300km from Calais) - I'm sure there must be a good one closer to Calais...

[alan.barker]

I just wondered have you removed the Head yet to have a look at the deposits on the backs of the Valves.
Also measured the dia of the Valve stems.
One more question what Engine Oil are you using
Alan

[huggy]

I just wondered have you removed the Head yet to have a look at the deposits on the backs of the Valves.
Also measured the dia of the Valve stems.
One more question what Engine Oil are you using
Alan

Thanks for your answer Alan,
I didn't removed the head yet.
I'm at the stage I need to choice to live with it as it is (no oil consumption, 20sec smoke..but oil smell and very greasy sparks) or find someone do it it right so trying to find all infos about this subject.

The car run with 20w50: I guess it is correct ?

[huggy]

Huggy,

I used Serdi UK in Uxbridge (west of London near Heathrow airport). Whilst talking with them, if I remember correctly, I was told that Serdi is a French company. Might be worth trying to find Serdi in France. I was impressed by the work done for me in the UK.

RIchard Hawkins

Thanks for your answer Richard,
Serdi seems to be the name of the machine manufacturing.
Uxbridge is not too far for me (I live near Calais) thanks for info.

[rgh0]

try a 20W 60 synthetic and that will reduce oil leakage down the guides and may make it acceptable for a time and delay the need for a rebuild

cheers
Rohan

[alan.barker]

+1 as usual Rohan,
and if the compressions seem not too bad just get out and drive it
Alan

[huggy]

Thanks guys !
If it is not broken don't fix it !....during few seconds I was pretty sure I was on my Land Rover forum and not Elan one

Goog idea next oil change will be 20w60

[h20hamelan]

Sounds complicated, doable though.
elan-mods-f31/valve-stem-seals-twincam-t22748.html