# Honda Valve Seal Removal
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289
**Category:** NYSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [October 11, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289 "2008-10-11T20:02:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@lsvtechatch](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/lsvtechatch)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289/1 "2008-10-11T20:02:48Z")
Ok, so I have a '98 ITR head, and I am doing a rebuild, therefore replacing the valve seals. I thought they were supposed to be fairly easy to remove. I’ve briefly looked for help on honda-tech etc…but i found little to no help. I tried using pliers to pull them off and a screw driver to pop them off, but with little luck. Is there a special tool or anything for honda’s? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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### Author:  [@91CRXSI](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/91CRXSI)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289/2 "2008-10-11T20:09:11Z")
im pretty sure you need that done by a machine shop… could be wrong tho
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### Author:  [@99\_civic\_si](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/99_civic_si)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289/3 "2008-10-11T20:21:20Z")
valve seal removal is simple. I usually use needle nose vise grip pliers. You want to grab the valve seal with just right amount of squeezing pressure. Too much and you’ll never slide it off and could risk damaging the valve guide. and too little your pliers will just slip off the valve seal. Once you get one or two off you’ll get the hang of it and fly through the rest.
Also, never reuse valve seals, get new ones, they are super cheap.
To reinstall simply put the valve seal into the end of a 12mm deep socket I believe, line it up and tap it on with a rubber mallet.
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### Author:  [@91CRXSI](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/91CRXSI)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289/4 "2008-10-11T20:49:03Z")
ahh guides is what i was thinking that are machined in there… right!!!
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### Author:  [@mechanicalmadness](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/mechanicalmadness)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289/5 "2008-10-11T22:58:13Z")
the guides are friction fit in the head. Never reuse those either. The seals snap ontop of the guides. They usually pop right off but if they are on a high mileage engine they tend to harden and be a bit of a pain to pull. Just use a par if needlenose pliers, or regular lineman’s pliers. Just dont squeese too hard or youll make your job that much harder.
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### Author:  [@lsvtechatch](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/lsvtechatch)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2008, 8:18am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289/6 "2008-10-12T08:18:01Z")
> [@91CRXSI](#):
>
> ahh guides is what i was thinking that are machined in there… right!!!
unfortunately you are wrong again. you basically just pound new ones in, although there is a special tool. and to remove the old ones you just heat the block up and pound them out.
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### Author:  [@Carnut](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Carnut)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2008, 8:26am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289/7 "2008-10-12T08:26:57Z")
> [@lsvtechatch](#):
>
> unfortunately you are wrong again. you basically just pound new ones in, although there is a special tool. and to remove the old ones you just heat the block up and pound them out.
Guides are in the head 😉
I find that using a set of pistol grip pliers works best.
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### Author:  [@lsvtechatch](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/lsvtechatch)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2008, 8:28am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289/8 "2008-10-12T08:28:52Z")
those pliers do seem very handy.
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### Author:  [@Oasis24-7](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Oasis24-7)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2008, 8:40am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289/9 "2008-10-12T08:40:24Z")
> [@99\_civic\_si](#):
>
> valve seal removal is simple. I usually use needle nose vise grip pliers. You want to grab the valve seal with just right amount of squeezing pressure. Too much and you’ll never slide it off and could risk damaging the valve guide. and too little your pliers will just slip off the valve seal. Once you get one or two off you’ll get the hang of it and fly through the rest.
> Also, never reuse valve seals, get new ones, they are super cheap.
> To reinstall simply put the valve seal into the end of a 12mm deep socket I believe, line it up and tap it on with a rubber mallet.
What he said very easy^^^
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### Author:  [@lsvtechatch](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/lsvtechatch)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2008, 10:09am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289/10 "2008-10-13T10:09:37Z")
Well i gave it another try i even tried using two 90 degree picks to lift the seal off, with absolutely no luck. So apparently im mentally retarded or my head is just acting like a little bitch. Thanks again for the help if you posted.
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### Author:  [@99\_civic\_si](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/99_civic_si)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2008, 10:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289/11 "2008-10-13T10:16:51Z")
> [@lsvtechatch](#):
>
> Well i gave it another try i even tried using two 90 degree picks to lift the seal off, with absolutely no luck. So apparently im mentally retarded or my head is just acting like a little bitch. Thanks again for the help if you posted.
dude, if you want…swing your head by swerve anytime today between like now and 6-7pm and I’ll be there and can show you real quick.
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### Author:  [@lsvtechatch](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/lsvtechatch)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2008, 10:18am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289/12 "2008-10-13T10:18:29Z")
i dont even know where that is? ill pm you.
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### Author:  [@lsvtechatch](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/lsvtechatch)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289/13 "2008-10-13T21:46:51Z")
my head was acting like a little bitch FTW.
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### Author:  [@mechanicalmadness](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/mechanicalmadness)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2008, 9:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289/14 "2008-10-13T21:52:03Z")
ugh, your going to make me post a valve seal DIY arent you?
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### Author:  [@99\_civic\_si](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/99_civic_si)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2008, 6:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-valve-seal-removal/56289/15 "2008-10-14T06:19:51Z")
No, he came by, I did like 2 of em and he got the rest. And I don’t blame him at all for this post. I’ve done countless heads now, and that way by far the hardest set of valve seals to get off a honda motor EVER. Don’t know why is was so difficult to get em off, but it was. Seriously took about 2-3x the amount of force to pull them off.