how do these come out? do they twist or just pull right out? im not going to reuse them, so if i need to use a pair of pliers so be it. its an H22 head if you were wondering.

 

There is usually a special tool that pulls them from underneath, but since you are not reusing them just grip them with pliers and pull up as you twist them slightly back and forth.

 

pliers work
theyre pretty hard with any tool
its ok to damage the seals since you have to replace them
i had a plier type tool with curves in the end to grip a small cylindrical thing

 

....god those things are a pain in the *** to get off... but yeah if youre replacing them, be sure to mess them up real nice.

 

holy ****, no kidding these are hard to get off. im almost considering paying $50.00 for the snap on tool. if anyone knows of any other easy way to get these pieces of **** out let me knoow.

 

I got them off, I was being a VAG!

 

I just ripped them out with pliers. they crushed a little, but so what they are garbage anyway if you are replacing them

 

Ah, the dreaded valve stem seal issue. I hated that.

 

If you are getting the head rebuilt anyway (and why wouldn't you if you have it removed???)...just have the machinist change them (they don't charge any extra). Getting the valve job is only $150-200 if you take the head to the machine shop and drop it off with the parts...well worth it.

If you are just changing the seals...then a combo of pliers and pick (looks like a dental pick but a bit beefier) usually works just fine.

Cheers!

 

dam, i just finished mine and boy were they hard as expletive to get off with pliers. gotta pull with ALL your might with both arms with a towel wrapped around the grip of the pliers so you dont cave your palms in

....and then you fly back on your *** when they pop out unexpectedly.

 

eh, if you are just going to throw them out anyway. the easiest way is.

- get a pair of thin tipped vice grips and give the stem seal a good squeeze.
- rotate the vice grips 90 degrees and give another squeeze
- now it should pull off fairly easily

or you could just get a set of valve stem seal pliers for $25.00