Valve Seal Help!

I want to do a valve seal job on my 86 lxi. I've never done valve seals before. I have an idea but not really confident to approach it without better instruction.

I've searched and searched the forums and found tips and tricks for doing it but no How To or step by step instruction. I did check the manuel and it requires taking the head off. From what I have read on the site most of the 3gr's have done it without removing the head.

It would be awesome if someone could post a step by step, How To on a valve seal job without removing the head.

Pics would be the best but just a step by step with instructions on what to look out for would be sweet.

If i missed the thread please let me know but I have searched for a while with no luck.

thanks in advance for any help or further direction

well I dunno, i've never done it either but I would think you'd need to come up with a way to keep the valves from falling into the cylinder once you take the valvetrain apart first of all, you can put it to TDC and work on cyl #1 and #4 to avoid this and rotate the engine to do #2 and # 3, this is assuming the piston comes close enough to hold it up of course.
my 2¢

use compressed air thru the spark plug hole to hold the valve in place when you take off the spring. The valve seals you have to cut off carefully with some pliers and tap the new ones on. Id also do what POS carb is saying so the valves wont go very far if they do fall

You'd be better off removing the head so you can do a complete job. That way you can inspect the valve seats and faces.
Also, if you have oil leaking down the valve guides you almost certainly have sludge or carbon buildup on the back of the valve head, and that should be cleaned off. which will require you to remove the head.

there are two ways to do it and i have done both of them:
1. keep the head on the engine. you will need air compressor (set at no more than 90 psi) and hose with adaptor. valve spring compressor, you can rent them at autozone. magnetic screw driver and some generic automotive tools. it is very easy to do and it will take you less than half a day. WARNING!!!!! it is very easy to drop valve spring key through oil drain hole inside the motor. so be careful when you remove them and put them back.

2. this will actualy require removal of the head. remove the head. get valve spring compressor, it should look like big C clamp that can go around the head. this job is better, but involves a lot more work. since you will have your head of the engine you may as well grind off the carbon off the valves and grind them into the head so they seal tight. the whole thing should take you about 1.5 days with some breaks.

I've change the valve stem seals the same way as shepard's #1 instrutions.
I didn't use compressed air, I just put each cylinder on TDC, so the valves don't slide down the cylinder.

Here is link with some pictures to help you get an idea of what you need to do.

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/s14/11_engine/1134550.htm

a20a3 is in interference motor, that is, if the timing belt goes, it will eat valves, so tdcing each cylinder will definately keep the valve from falling. but i agree with shepard and acranox, the job really should be done off the car. in fact, if you had a little money to throw to your local machine shop, aside from milling the machined surface of the head, you could get a 3 angle valve job wich would ensure the valves will seal thier best, so valvetrain blowby will never again be an issue for you. and while there, you could maybe even have them grind on your ports a bit. ya know? i mean, if your gonna do something, it should just be done right.

yeah that def would be ideal, but usuallyh onda valve guides dont have too many problems, so you should be ok in that area, it just depends how involved you wanna get

I agree to pull the head. I have done a bunch of this type of work on Nissan's.
But let me ask....is the engine burning oil? If not why bother with the valve seals?