Valve Stem Oil Seals

[4WheelDrifter]

Ah, but we all know what the Stealers can be like...

My thoughts exactly.

[merlin's S4]

Fair enough the dealers aren't to be trusted and I completely agree with the comments about doing a job properly, but I was only stating that the Audi workshop manual lists a method for doing this job with the head in place! The original question from Mark (rotorboy) was whether or not it is possible, so if this method is in the Audi manual then it must be regarded as a genuine way of doing the job! I'm not suggesting that one way is better than the other or that the head removal method doesn't have it's merits, but in this case the head has already been off and as Mark says, the relevent items have been checked. So to me the benefits of being able to do it this way are very obvious!!

[~Delta]

True, Mark has had his cylinder head off, but are the valve guides serviceable? The point is if the valve stem seals are shot, the guides could be worn as well!

To check the valve guides, the collets would have been removed and probably the valves themselves! Was this done? It's hard to check tolerances without stripping the head down completely to a bare carcass.

[Mark Halligan]

everything was fine then i put the head in the hot wash, which hardened the seals

Personally I would also take the head off to do the job too, although if it wasn't smoking before the seals were cooked in the hot wash then the guides may noy be too bad. Wont hurt to check them though.

Ah, but we all know what the Stealers can be like...

Not just the dealers, plenty of so called skilled mechanics out there just itching to rape your motor for a fistful of notes, pays to be careful.............