The valve seals ensure that oil doesn’t leak into the cylinders and stays in the crankcase. Here’s how to identify a bad valve seal in your car. A car has around 30,000 working components, both big and small.
It shouldn’t be surprising if some parts eventually wear out and need to be replaced with so many pieces. The engine of a vehicle has the highest level of wear. Some features unavoidably become damaged as the engine warms up and exerts a lot of pressure.
In the long run, an engine’s heat and pressure can impact some parts, including valve seals. The valve seals are essential for the car engine’s pressure and engine oil to remain on separate sides. Lousy valve seals in modern machines are rare, but they do occur. In a moment, let’s review the warning flags.
What Are The 6 Symptoms Of Bad Valve Seals?
Blue smoke from the exhaust pipe is the most typical sign of faulty valve seals. If you examine the spark plugs, you can also see grease on them.
Other indications that your valve seals need to be replaced are external oil leaks, poor fuel economy, or rough idling. Here is a more thorough list of warning indications of a failing or flawed valve seal:
1. Acceleration loss
The valve seals may also be so poor that burned oil clogs the valves, spark plugs, and catalytic converter. Your automobile may experience significant performance issues and seem much slower than usual, particularly if your catalytic converter is clogged.
2. A rough idle
When your car is idle, you can see if the valve seal is broken. Because the car engine is frequently prone to holding a consistently low, idling RPM, you may occasionally notice rough idling or stalling when a faulty valve seal and oil enter the combustion chamber.
The spark plugs may also become blocked with oil due to faulty intake valve seals. If you notice hard idling and blue smoke, it is time to examine your valve seals.
3. Leaks of external oil
If the intake valve seals on your turbocharged car are worn, the turbo pressure might pass through them, increasing the crankcase house pressure. Increased crankcase pressure can cause various engine seals to burst out of the engine and create exterior oil leaks.
4. Use of poor-quality oil
As we previously described, the engine oil will spill out into the exhaust pipe due to either an intake valve leak or an exhaust valve leak. A typical engine holds about 4 liters of engine oil, and if you continue to drive your car while the valve seals are leaking, you can see the oil level dropping.
Give your automobile to a professional for a checkup if you detect harmful oil consumption and other symptoms.
5. Spark plugs with oil buildup
If you recently changed your spark plugs and noticed a weird clay on the spark plug tips, it was probably caused by burned oil released after the combustion. When this oil burns into the spark plug, it leaves clay behind.
This oil is most likely the result of a failed turbocharger or an intake valve seal leak.
6. Blue emission smoke
Blue smoke from the exhaust pipe is the most typical sign of a damaged valve seal. This may be brought on by an intake valve seal leak, which allows oil to enter the combustion chamber and burn there.
The oil may be evaporating because of a leaking exhaust valve seal, forcing oil into the exhaust pipe. The smoke gets worse and worse as the issue gets worse. You’ll observe that the blue smoke is more persistent than previously and is visible even at fast speeds.
The Function of a Valve Seal
The valve shaft is sealed with a valve. The valve seal attempts to divide the exhaust flow entering the crankcase from the intake flow. It also applies in reverse, preventing oil from entering the cylinders and exiting through the exhaust.
A high heat-resistant rubber seal is affixed to the valve by the valve seals comprising a metallic outer ring. On modern engines, valve seals rarely fail, but it happens occasionally.
Valve Seal Location
The valve seals are put around and seal the valves, and they are found in the cylinder head underneath the valve springs. You might need to remove the valve cover to see them because they are hidden beneath the valve springs.
Valve Seal Replacement Cost
Depending on the automobile model and labor costs, replacing a valve seal typically costs between $250 and $2,100. The valve seals are inexpensive; you may anticipate paying between $50 and $100 for them. Typically, labor costs range from $200 to $2,000.
To access the valve seals for replacement, you must first remove the valve cover and the valve springs. You can pressurize the cylinder chamber to remove the valve springs without completely removing the cylinder head, but you sometimes have to do so.
Can You Do It Yourself?
If you can do the job on your own, you can do it cheaply. Naturally, this can take a lot of time, and changing the valve seals can take many hours. Do thorough research before you repair the valve seals because worn seals are rare, and replacement costs are high.
The valve seal cost is relatively low; the time required to replace them adds cost.
Conclusion
Blue smoke from the exhaust, oil on the spark plugs, lousy oil consumption, external oil leaks, rough idling, and loss of acceleration are the main signs of a damaged valve seal.
One such component that, over time, the heat and pressure of an engine may harm is valve seals.