Valve seal replacement finished/tips

[Eric Huppert]

Derek, per your email (and any others interested)

Finished the valve seal job last night...

Lessons learned and things that would have made the job easier (other than
paying someone else):

Parts:
	Valve seals
	Valve cover gasket
	Cam seal (Do not fully seat as you'll block oil return hole!)
	throttle body gasket (re-used mine, wasn't able to get one in time)
	Cam chain fairly cheap, might as well do it while you have it off! Less
than $50
	Intake gasket and water manifold if removed
	Electrical cleaner for all electrical connections you touch or have easier
access to
	Cap and rotor, easier to get to with TB removed. Ensure you have the right
rotor (Google Audifans!) I ended up 		 with the wrong new one. Rotor in the
car had been cut down to 11mm. Very interesting, probably done with a
dremel! Left the same one in. Cap had oil residue, could have cleaned up but
replaced as access easier
	Vacuum lines as needed. Once again, with everything ripped apart much
easier to access
	If you still have plastic gear on dist now is the time to replace! Luckily
mine had already been done by PO.
	Ideal time to do timing belt, WP, plugs wire etc, etc, if due or needed.

Tools (other than normal hand tools):

	Valve spring compressor, one I borrowed was a generic type, but worked
	Valve seal pliers, would have gone easier but I was able to carefully split
the lower seal band and grab with needle 	 nose vise grips. Definitely don't
endorse this method! Get the right tool
	Valve seal install tool. Another "oh crap". Didn't have it, but 6 pt 1/4"
drive deep 11mm and ext did the trick. Pushed 	 down by hand firmly until
seated. Don't recommend this either! Get, or borrow the tool!
	Throttle body requires  5mm allen bit. Had some craftsm at n long t handle
drivers, but I need to invest in the long bits!
	Allen head bits for manifold. Didn't remove mine, but if I was to do job
again I'd remove. Can do without removing, no 	 problem, but dist is easier
and I would have liked to replace the coolant manifold gasket

Lessons learned.....

	Make sure you beg, borrow, steal the right tools for the job! Should go
without saying, you definitely need decent air 	 compressor to hold valves
shut.
	Manifold doesn't need to come off, just take TB loose and with accel cable
still attached lay up on the IM.
	You cannot follow the initial torque sequence in Bentley until cam is fully
seated in journals. Tighten gradually and 	 evenly as best you can until
caps all seated. I then backed off and followed sequence.
	Distributor... Bentley says to remove, but I left it in.. With IM in it is
still a little difficult to remove! While 	tightening cam journals (by
hand!!)I watched dist drive gear and cam dist drive gear ("prepositioned for
#1) With my 	right hand I gently wiggled rotor as gears engaged to ensure
that it didn't bind. Would not do this with a plastic 	 gear, but was fairly
confident with metal gear and "gentle" care.
	I am especially cautious when it comes to cam timing, TDC etc. etc. Always
have been, always will, on ANY car! Luckily  	 my paranoia and resulting
plea for help was answered by Chuck P and another. Following link from AW
forum was 	 especially useful, I was indeed one link off. Audi was not so
precise in gear markings.  Bentley was also a little 	 vague...Leaves some
room for personal judgment which I don't care for in this situation.

					http://forums.audiworld.com/i5/msgs/387.phtml

	Whatever you do, make sure cam gear is tight before turning engine. I
normally slip gear and belt on, crank a few revs 	 by hand and verify all
timing marks... Well, this always worked on the 10V's as it uses a separate
steel key. 20V is a 	 cast key on cam gear and as soon as I started turning
engine it wiped the key. Set me back a day waiting for the used 	 one. No
need to chastise, I did a very excellent job humiliating myself already.

	Make sure you put the oil fill baffle on the intake, not the exhaust
side... Yes, it would keep the oil off the valve 	 cover on that side, but
not the oil fill cap. Only cost me about five minutes extra as I was
starting to bolt vc 	 down. Baffle is plastic and fairly brittle, careful

This is by no means a comprehensive list or directions. Many have documented
this procedure already, it's just my observations. One of the biggest issues
was the cam gear timing, link above was vital to my quelling my paranoia!

Cheers, Eric