97 valve seat

[Davescort97]

Well guys the infamous valve seat dropping on #4 cylinder has almost done me in. Coming home the other night I started getting a ticking sound like a lifter that wasn't pumping up. I put a mechanic's stethoscope on the last cylinder and sure enough it was coming from there. I have 185k on this 97 and thought I could beat a seat dropping on me by usinig Marvel Mystery oil in the gas to reduce deposits. WRONG. I pulled the plug on #4 and it was white as a sheet of paper. The only time the exhaust valve can cool is when the valve is seated so I knew something was up. Rather than wait for the inevitable, I pulled the head over the weekend. The #4 seat was hammered up pretty good, but was still intact.
I got a used head from another 97 that had been totaled with 57k on it for $50. Ran a carpenters square on it and I was able to run a feeler gauge under it with .004. It was straight enough for me so I put it on. I used a new head gasket kit which included new head bolts, intake and exhaust gaskets. While I was at it I put on a new water pump, hoses, timing belt, thermostat and accessory belt. The kit was twice as much as I paid for the head, but what can you do? Got it good to go. Started right up and belched air pockets out of the cooling system for a few minutes. I was luckier than most with the dropped valve seat problem. Several of the threads and posts said that it sounded like a stuck lilfter just before the seat went. So thanks to all that posted that info. Like they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. She runs real good. No valve problems on the used head. I imagine given enough time this head will drop a seat, too. If you've got a Escort and you start hearing a clicking from the #4 cylinder pull the head as soon as possible.

[denisond3]

Thanks for the description: Forewarned is Forearmed.

One of my Escorts had 190,000 miles on it when I pulled it off (to put in new piston rings), and the head went back on with nothing more than knurled valve guides & new valve stem seals. The other Escort, a 94, cost me $550, since it had already swallowed that #4 inlet valve seat, having 91,000 miles on it. I wondered if the 20 year old driver was a factor. Both of the engines are 1.9L. Maybe I should grab onto a spare head and get new valve seats in it, of whatever the 'improved' type is.

[12Ounce]

Two of my Daughters have '97's (... talk about lucky!) One has already dropped the #4 (approx 143k miles) I rebuilt that engine ... big mess: I'm taking the other engine (175k miles) apart before it happens. My cyl head repair outfit, Dover; swears that if they do the cyl head repair ... the valve seat will never fall afterward because they (Dover) will properly "cinch" all the valve seats ... something apparently Ford never did very well. (I can see impressions into the aluminum around the valve seats where they have done something ... hopefully it works ... time will tell.)

[mightymoose_22]

Originally Posted by 12Ounce

Two of my Daughters have '97's (... talk about lucky!) One has already dropped the #4 (approx 143k miles) I rebuilt that engine ... big mess: I'm taking the other engine (175k miles) apart before it happens. My cyl head repair outfit, Dover; swears that if they do the cyl head repair ... the valve seat will never fall afterward because they (Dover) will properly "cinch" all the valve seats ... something apparently Ford never did very well. (I can see impressions into the aluminum around the valve seats where they have done something ... hopefully it works ... time will tell.)

That is the issue. Of the ones I have repaired, after having the head reworked and valve seats cinched, the problem has not come back.
Replacing the head with a boneyard replacement invites the same eventual problem. Some preventative maintenance, having the valves done before the problem occurs, will save a lot of hassle in the future.

[12Ounce]

Engine repair update: I'm happy and lucky to say that the '97 that I repaired because of a dropped #4 cyl valve seat is quickly approaching 184k miles total ... that's 40k miles since engine rebuild.

The car is back with me (Daddy!) because the ac is out .... looks like a ac clutch coil has opened.

I'll start on it if I can ever finish the second '97 that I'm doing pre-emptive repair to ... before it drops its valve seat. ("Daddy" again!). The wear in this engine has been very nil ... 175k miles thus far... engine internals very clean ... good 'ole MOBIL1!