lapping valves and TESTING with water to VERIFY proper seal 1.8t audi

There’s a lot of techniques for lapping valves. I find that the suction cup and stick works really well. The trick is how to test to make sure that everything is proper. First, use the water test. You make the head level, then screw in a spark plug upside down, and then pour water over the valves. Let it sit. You can put some toilet paper inside under the valves, and if anything leaks through, then you've got some more work to do. I like this method because I can do it BEFORE putting the springs on.
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[@axelriet]

Cool video. To test for leaks (or lack thereof) you should use a fluid with low surface tension, like ethanol, methanol, or better yet, kerosene which is not very volatile, or "lamp petrol" (aka naphta, "camp fuel", "white gas", or "Coleman fuel") available in most hardware stores. Water will not flow through very small gaps due to its high surface tension, so your test would not detect small leaks.

[@giwtwm]

i use 120 psi air compressor on the ports while there is water in the combustion chamber if there is any small bubble there is leakage and i lap it again

[@user-bp6fp3br2v]

@@giwtwm good . saves time

[@kolourblind3124]

@@giwtwm do you have the valve springs in while doing it this way?

[@giwtwm]

@@kolourblind3124 no my finger pressing down on the valve should be enough to seal it even without the valve springs

[@kolourblind3124]

@@giwtwm thanks!

[@SunShine-wc4uj]

Thanks for giving us the idea. I never thought of a leak test this way. Good detail instructions by the way.

[@ocean7027]

Enjoyed your video, very well detailed, great info. Best video iv seen out there on the subject.

[@vanhap]

Very helpful, thank you for your quick video.

[@domenicromero8216]

Nice video bud👍

[@dave31764]

Very nice description on how to test a valve job, I’m going to do my first valve job this month. How can you tell if valves are bent? By just looking at them they appear fine but doing the water test they leak, even the ones I left the springs on.

[@robertgorge1152]

Good test.good job

[@hevertpacheco7870]

Should you have the springs and retainers installed

[@Stowns03]

Nice video

[@mathewaz1507]

What was the condition before this? Were the valves not passing the water test before lapping them?

[@danielslocum7169]

paint thinner or naptha works well for me. after lapping i clean and assemble the heads;then put the thinner in the ports covering the valves.if any leak,then disassemble and lap more. water might end up rusting or pitting things, and thinner penetrates better jmo.

[@zdravkomomci7570]

I use thinner too

[@martinfidel7086]

The only correct way is to use a vacuum gauge ! I often show people who think their heads are the best on the market how bad they really are, I have had a head on the bench for a few hours full of paraffin with no leaks ! until I add the vacuum gauge it just pulls the paraffin straight through the seat areas and drops down to low or medium at best, all my heads are only released once I get in the top are of the gauge which is about 95% the best head done like that above is going to be 40% which is poor to say the least.

[@danielslocum7169]

@@martinfidel7086 if you say so....... nevertheless, i get good steady vacuum readings once the engine is running and excellent performance as well.

[@martinfidel7086]

@@danielslocum7169 I do say so, and that is because I use methods that can be recorded easily and give the best results, it's why F1 use the same process, I'm just saying that you could do better but it's your choice :)

[@danielslocum7169]

@@martinfidel7086 if and when i think i have a problem,i will certainly address it; thanks.

[@madmechanix4962]

Great video!! I will try this now

[@aceallenk]

I did something similar when doing the Briggs, but used paint thinner rather than water. Won't cause rust.... and you can pour it back into the jug afterwards.

[@ballstoyou33]

So if it stops spinning it’s sealed good ?

[@faizanchishty3738]

Good Job

[@livefree6878]

I’ve had really good luck with this water test. I find that if it holds water then when I put the springs on it saves a lot of time. Putting it all back together to find out there’s a leak is not much fun

[@faizanchishty3738]

Perfect

[@ivanvega2821]

Great video! If you were to have water leak out. How would you go about figuring out which valve isn't seating perfectly?

[@livefree6878]

The water will leak from the other side, you could place some thing like toilet paper into each chamber‘s., Hope this answer helps👍

[@ivanvega2821]

@@livefree6878 currently lapped 2 valves and I believe I may have over lapped them. I did it by hand each for another 10 minutes and did a leak down with water, both of them were leaking. Got frustrated 😂 and used a drill going one way and another and now resulted in both of them leaking even more. I believe I may have over lapped them. Any suggestions?

[@24hourgmtchannel64]

I just replaced a burnt valve and lapped in a replacement. If you see a few tinny bubbles around the valve but the water does not show a noticeable drop in an hour world you say that is acceptable? It's my wife's 1999 Lexus RX 300 and I'm wanting to lap all the valves but it is a V6 with 391k so it's would seem counter to the other side.

[@shimon2476]

That's ok when the spring goes on its higher spring tension will seal it

[@24hourgmtchannel64]

@@shimon2476 thanks. All is well a month latter. I'm still pushing my wife to buy another suv but we may wait it out because the new and used car market is still crazy.

[@shimon2476]

@@24hourgmtchannel64 ahh glad to hear understood

[@tombruce6398]

Do you have to use water for the test

[@yayothug2463]

Good

[@huangyi8451]

why you can't add water from the exhaust to check the exhaust leak? why adding water on top of the valves?

[@tommygomez5343]

How much should brand new valves be lapped when installing into used cylinder head?

[@shimon2476]

Till you have a even dull gray color on both valve and valve seat.

[@benrobles752]

Are those "Lee Past On" nails?

[@youknowit8799]

He sure does!

[@frankdavidson9675]

need compression test to check for leaks not water put a spoon of mtr oil in spark plug hole take comp test if oil helps its the ring no help its the valves leaking

[@tj484]

found out spraying a can of the heated paint right down the inside of the header helps keep the heat coming to the outside keeping it somewhat cooler

[@westonthornton9018]

Try diesel fuel that works better if it doesn’t leak diesel fuel it won’t leak, Diesel fuel is thinner than water.

[@martinfidel7086]

Paraffin is thinner and I have seen the results with thinners ! I can guarantee a vacuum tester will show it to leak even after it appeared ok with paraffin!

[@user-zu2ed6ye5w]

Dont test with water, it has to much surface tension, test with alcohol which will seep through a smaller space . Hope this helps .

[@ocean7027]

You sprayed your cylinder seat with kerosene but won't that wash the compound down into the valve guide.

[@skylined5534]

Pretty sure he'll be giving the head a good cleaning before refitting.

[@tj484]

ya finding out everyones like assholes that all sit in there little corners giving there two cent hack on .do ya thing man your way good info.and id bet most of them could not tell ya where a spark plug was located

[@wpkennels3555]

They put it where he did for the test! Lol

[@sz6738]

Well if you had a brain you would understand that just because you make a KZbin video doesn’t mean your an expert lol thousands of people that know what there doing can and will comment from there couch and tell you if it’s right or wrong you cupcakes get so offended when your told to do something the right way and there is people like myself that don’t give a shit about your feelings so man up and except something when you do it wrong. It’s not that hard to listen and learn.

[@JOMaMa..]

Giant ninja nails

[@frankdavidson9675]

by adding water if it leaks it could be either rings or valves that is not a vali d test -----before you start take comp test then add i spoon mtr oil to spsrk plug hole retake comp test if it helps its is the rings need replacing if no help its the valves leaking ----this a standard test for ages.

[@josephastier7421]

Only testing the head here, and doing it much better than if it were on the block.

[@JO3BID3N-is-a-P3D0]

thats great advice!!!!!

[@skylined5534]

Using a fluid to check the valves are sealing IS a valid test after lapping.

[@JO3BID3N-is-a-P3D0]

agreed, n i like usin rubbing alcohol

[@jaxdyson3056]

I've done this and left rings on my valves how can i rectify this ?

[@skoal022]

Id say if it held water your good. He said he does a final test with the springs and retainers on. Or do like he said and add the water again and blow compressed air into the head and look for bubbles.

[@andrewcampbell5258]

Did you use a drill?

[@dyzzyone]

No compound materials can replace a valve job .If your seats are not good you end up just ruin your valves .Lapping is last step in a calve job

[@Bernd4711]

I take brake cleaner for testing.

[@roberttrevino4184]

You should use alcohol instead of water

[@b.c4066]

why would you use water? oil maybe. but what happens in the running engine while under a vacuum? or a wot full load. you would be better off fashioning a plate that sealed each runner off and allowed you to pressurize each one. because even if you have a good seal at the seat what about the valve stem? pros measure all this stuff, and account for oil film on the valve stem. but making a plate that would seal each port off, and allow you to put 50 psi of air pressure with the valve springs installed would tell you more. for the diy guy that might be better. it would also tell you if the heads runners were cracked into the water jackets.

[@martinfidel7086]

This is where a vacuum gauge wins every time ! Use the correct tools are create a botch job it's a choice

[@aaronfowler5477]

I’d personally use gasoline instead of water. Gasoline will find more gaps than water

[@livefree6878]

Interesting, Have you ever tried it, I’m game I’ll give it a try. Just out of curiosity why do you think it would find leaks better than water.

[@aaronfowler5477]

I have. And it’s about the density of fuel vs water. Not that water won’t work in this application but if you want to truly get as close to “air tight” as possible, use fuel. Something can be water tight but not air tight. Gasoline is just closer to the later. Try this... take a shot glass of water, cup your hand as tight as you can and pour the water in your palm then tilt your hand to where the water goes over your fingers. Try to keep as much in as you can. Now dry your hand and try the same with a shot of gasoline. You may find different results than I but I’d be willing to bet otherwise lol

[@lukemarzolf7146]

@@aaronfowler5477 ive herd of people using coolant and lacker thinner aswell but never tried it personally

[@Mr.NiceGuy80]

Gasoline molecules are smaller than water molecules. Gas will seep through where water won't. Gasoline being an oil based product, doesn't have the same surface tension as water does. Brake clean also works.

[@axelriet]

@@livefree6878 Low surface tension! Kerosene is the best with 1/3 the tension and low volatility. Solvents (acetone, ethanol, methanol, xylol, toluene) also all works much better than water for the same reason.

[@oootgreeet]

Buy a nail clipper and use it, bro.

[@skylined5534]

Stop calling people 'bro', Miss Fussy.

[@weasespieces1029]

Why does no one chuck the valve stem in a drill?? I've ALWAYS chucked the valve stamina a drill and pulled them in to lap... super quick and easy

[@kailuafrog]

Because you can't feel, and hear when you're done

[@weasespieces1029]

@@kailuafrog yeah you can sounds and feel are just faster and different.... same BASIC technique just mechanized for speed...16 unseated valves suck exponentially after about the 4th one.....JS

[@kailuafrog]

@@weasespieces1029 Do what you want but I recommend listening to pros...

[@weasespieces1029]

@@kailuafrog my dad was a master mechanic for ford motor company for 38 years... he taught me how to do valves...so .... dont know how much more professional ya need..I went to college for 4 years .... worked with my dad in his garage ... then went to mining and turing wrenches there... I'm not a "PRO" I've just been doing some form of wrench work my whole life..... and it works extremely well ... I NEVER GO TO A "MECHANIC" and everything with a piston of mine runs well.. so I'm doin something right!? JS

[@kailuafrog]

@@weasespieces1029 Good it works for you. But the argument that you did it for years and so did your dad is not necessarily a valid one. There are plenty of mechanics in the wild that have been performing terrible jobs all their lives, I bet you encountered some yourself :-)

[@averyqueen1532]

Don't break a nail!!!

[@david1936]

you need fingernail trimmers

[@SpecOpsGear]

Now all i can see are weird fingernails.... thanks. :/

[@brianbvachek3219]

Wtf is with those fingernails bro

[@skylined5534]

My goodness, a health and beauty bro!

[@seansmith4440]

don't use that tool. It's shit. use a CNC collet and grab it from the other side with your hand. Don't use a drill.

[@detonationpyrotechnics4156]

Stop using water…. Why do people think this is a good idea … use kerosene or something other than the one thing that literally creates surface rust

[@skylined5534]

Calm down Dorothy. Wipe the water off straight away after and no rust. Plus the head's alloy anyway.

[@ArcherX19]

For real cut yo nails!!! Great info and clearly described for sure but for real you gotta clean yo clothes if showing torso, shave face or comb beard and hair if showing face and cut and clean nails if showing hands. These vids will last forever.

[@kailuafrog]

So will your comment making you look like an absolute knob for ever. WTF is your problem? Nothing better do do?

[@thingimibobs]

Cut your nails bro

[@darrellsomers5427]

Don't waste your time and $ lapping doesnt do the job of cutting the valve and seat ,if your going to do it do it right

[@randhyraul]

What's the right way to do it??

[@darrellsomers5427]

Take it to a machine shop and have the valves and seats cut if you don't have the right tools to do it at home

[@martinfidel7086]

@@darrellsomers5427 You are funny 🤣 I use a MIRA valve seat cutter and a J&S valve grinder these are amongst the best money can buy and yet I always lap in my valves with diamond paste to get the best results 👍

[@sz6738]

@@darrellsomers5427lol the comment of a thieving mechanic or machinist. Ya people at home don’t know how to do anything right. Lmao

[@skylined5534]

​@@darrellsomers5427 Why would you cut the seats if you only need to lap the valves in?

[@andyrobinson339]

Dude...clip your fingernails....PLEASE!

[@sz6738]

Bro screwed his plug in revers used water on a cylinder head and took his sock off to dry up the water just about everything you should not do.

[@skylined5534]

Wtf😂 Shut up and get in the sea.