I got some quality valve stem seals from an engine reconditioners, i should have put these on first time round.

The overhead valve spring compressor and pliers came today, the one in photo above but i can't get enough compression on the spring to remove the collets, i manage to get half a collet out by fluke on one of the exhaust valve on cylinder 4 but can't get the other one out, i just can't compress the spring enough with this style of compressor.

I'm going have to take the head off tomorrow and do the work on the table, it's a shame because the head gasket was a quality victor reinz and is still good, i didn't want to disturb it but it looks like i'm going to have to.

I'll have to get a new head gasket and set off bolts, i'll give the engine shop a call tomorrow and see if they've got them in.

I'm kicking myself because i've been waiting since last thursday for the tools to come then don't work when i could have had the head off and done the work.

My lesson learnt from this is don't use head gasket sets as the only parts i used from it was the stem valve seals and don't look like they lasted they looked poor quality at the time, i got the kit mail order before i took the head to get it skimmed at the engine shop and while i was there i got the new gasket from them, if i'd got the new stem valve from them aswell the job would have been a good'en.

Once i've redone the head work and got it back together, i'll get another cat as this is what it failed the MOT on, high co2 and lambda reading.

I took the head off and replaced all the stem valve oil seals, just got it built back up with new head gasket, she's up and running again but don't know if i fixed the oil consumption problem yet as i've only driven to the bottom of the road and back.

I know the catalytic converter is knackered, what will or should i be getting out of the tail pipe with a failed cat as i'm getting a bit of white smoke, is this due to the cat.

That's a bummer, It would never have occurred to me that the seals could be that bad. Threatening the trader with letter to trading standards might be in order as the failure of them has cost you a lot of time and money.
If you don't mind me asking, where did you get the kit with the duff seals? I only ask because I have bought off ebay and other internet sites but usually try to use sellers and sites recommended either here or on MG-Rover.Org.
It would be good to know who/where to avoid.

Your exhaust will still be full of oil, don't fit the new cat until the old stuff has burned off!

Take it for a thrash on the motorway or something for 30 minutes at least to get the exhaust fully up to temperature.

When i removed the oil seals and compared them with the ones i removed last year the rubber hole had visibly worn larger in comparison, to the ones that had been on for years, i got the hg kit off ebay it was around 40 quid, in future i'll get my parts from the engine reconditioners.

I took it for a good drive and the smoke as now cleared even reving it at 3000rpm it's clear, i'll give it a turn over tomorrow and if it's still ok i'll replace the catalytic converter.

digi said:

When i removed the oil seals and compared them with the ones i removed last year the rubber hole had visibly worn larger in comparison, to the ones that had been on for years, i got the hg kit off ebay it was around 40 quid, in future i'll get my parts from the engine reconditioners.

I took it for a good drive and the smoke as now cleared even reving it at 3000rpm it's clear, i'll give it a turn over tomorrow and if it's still ok i'll replace the catalytic converter.

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While its a pain in the arse having to do the job in the first place, its always satisfying figuring out what's causing something.

The previous cat will have been destroyed by oil ingestion, and good to hear your smoke has cleared. So long as you get the exhaust clear of oil then change the cat, it should last a good while now.

Fingers crossed after all this effort the Beastie passes its MOT!

If you look in the thread about coolant I posted in the other day, you'll see how bad cheap gasket sets are!

B34R said:

While its a pain in the arse having to do the job in the first place, its always satisfying figuring out what's causing something.

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Only if it ain't your own fault for being daft enough to buy cheap crap off ebay in the first place.

Been there, done that. Paid the price for doing it cheap and had to do it the second time. Buy cheap, buy twice!

Not a truer word spoken Alibro, i was daft enough, i only used the stem valve seals from the cheap kit and that's the part that failed, the rest were quality parts from the reconditioners after getting cold feet about using a cheap head gasket, what makes things worse is when i was getting the other parts first time round he asked me do want some valve oil seals as well, been the numpty, i said i alraedy have some.

So in the long run not so cheap, quite expensive stem valve oil seals.

digi said:

Not a truer word spoken Alibro, i was daft enough, i only used the stem valve seals from the cheap kit and that's the part that failed, the rest were quality parts from the reconditioners after getting cold feet about using a cheap head gasket, what makes things worse is when i was getting the other parts first time round he asked me do want some valve oil seals as well, been the numpty, i said i alraedy have some.

So in the long run not so cheap, quite expensive stem valve oil seals.

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There is a lot of cheap nasty stuff out there, I work for an engine parts company we supply Glasser/Victor Reinz for head gaskets and head kits as well as King race bearings etc. We used to do ACL bearings but they went bustut seems to be what the reconditioners want. Always buy the best you can afford

digi said:

Not a truer word spoken Alibro, i was daft enough, i only used the stem valve seals from the cheap kit and that's the part that failed, the rest were quality parts from the reconditioners after getting cold feet about using a cheap head gasket, what makes things worse is when i was getting the other parts first time round he asked me do want some valve oil seals as well, been the numpty, i said i alraedy have some.

So in the long run not so cheap, quite expensive stem valve oil seals.

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Ouch, I feel your pain. Never done valve stem seals so not sure what is involved but seems like a lot of work. Seems stupid that you can buy such crap.
I wonder how many cars have been written off buy owners who bought **** like this and a few months later the car was worse than ever and all because the new parts were worse than the originals.

must be thousands there is an old say buy cheap you pay twice