Topic: Valve Guide Advice

[stereosilence]

I am *still* in the process of cleaning up my engine cases. I did the tub treatment to not much avail and the next effort will include a pressure sprayer.

While soaking and cleaning in the tub, washers (and I think a tiny o-ring) came off the valve guides. Do I need to take out the valve guides? I don't want to lose any washers and I didn't know they weren't secured.

[Fritz]

Sounds like you are talking about the thrust washers that are named "seat, outer" and "seat, inner" (11,12) in the link below.
They tend to stick on the head as long as there's some oil under them. Take them off and make sure that you don't lose them. There are two per valve.
There's no need to take out the valve guides, in contrary, you would need to replace them if you did. Also, if you find any loose valve guides, you need to have your head serviced in a machine shop.
All removable rubber parts should be part of a full gasket kit and need to replaced anyways, so you don't need to worry about or try to reuse them.

http://www.cmsnl.com/honda-cb550k-1978-usa_model7222/partslist/E++04.html

[Rigid]

Sounds like you are talking about the thrust washers that are named "seat, outer" and "seat, inner" (11,12) in the link below.
They tend to stick on the head as long as there's some oil under them. Take them off and make sure that you don't lose them. There are two per valve.
There's no need to take out the valve guides, in contrary, you would need to replace them if you did. Also, if you find any loose valve guides, you need to have your head serviced in a machine shop.
All removable rubber parts should be part of a full gasket kit and need to replaced anyways, so you don't need to worry about or try to reuse them.

http://www.cmsnl.com/honda-cb550k-1978-usa_model7222/partslist/E++04.html

No machine shop necessary if you are a decent wrench.  Tap old ones out, tap new ones in, i like to heat the head to 400 to make it easier.  I also cool the guides in a tub of ice.  No biggie.

[Fritz]

No machine shop necessary if you are a decent wrench.  Tap old ones out, tap new ones in, i like to heat the head to 400 to make it easier.  I also cool the guides in a tub of ice.  No biggie.

I have never replaced a valve guide by myself, so what I wrote is what I've learned from several places including Honda's service manuals.

What I've learned is required to do a decent guide replacement:
1. The new valve guides need to bee reamed to spec after being driven into the head.
2. A new valve guide might be centered a little bit different than the old one, so the valve seats should be reground - a task that requires tools more expensive than having this work done in a machine shop.

But as I said - I've never tried to do it myself, so my info might be wrong...

[70CB750]

Sounds like you are talking about the thrust washers that are named "seat, outer" and "seat, inner" (11,12) in the link below.
They tend to stick on the head as long as there's some oil under them. Take them off and make sure that you don't lose them. There are two per valve.
There's no need to take out the valve guides, in contrary, you would need to replace them if you did. Also, if you find any loose valve guides, you need to have your head serviced in a machine shop.
All removable rubber parts should be part of a full gasket kit and need to replaced anyways, so you don't need to worry about or try to reuse them.

http://www.cmsnl.com/honda-cb550k-1978-usa_model7222/partslist/E++04.html

No machine shop necessary if you are a decent wrench.  Tap old ones out, tap new ones in, i like to heat the head to 400 to make it easier.  I also cool the guides in a tub of ice.  No biggie.

Thanks Rigid, I will need to do it on an F engine likely.