Help headgasket , camshaft removal problems

[myzhik86]

Alright so i decide to change my headgasket on 96 m3 by myself cause everyone else is charging a ridiculous amout of money to do it, so i got the head off no problems found the leak, ( headgasket was worn never overheated the engine) so i was trying to decide whether or not to get the head plained, so i began unscrewing the nuts that hold the camshaft down and about half way or so i changed my mind and thought i really didnt want to get into assembling the valves and springs etc. after having it all apart. so i changed my mind and thought the heck with it i will just throw the headgasket on and see what happens,( before i did all of this i put a straight edge on thehead to make sure it wasnt warped and it checked out fine) anyways i tighten all the nuts on the intake side, all evenly how i loosened them in the first place ( i never got to the exhaust side) and i look at some of the valves and they are not being drawn up back into the seating, leaving a llittle opening as if the spring isnt strong enough to pull them up???????????? whats up with that??????????? i never had the cam off all the way what could have gone wrong??? i didnt look closely enough before i started but i am sure there isnt supposed to be an opening, any help would be appreciated thanks

[Jeron]

Maybe I'm not understanding but some of the valves will be down. Thats is to say, at least one pair of valves on each side is always down. You should have noticed this when you took the head off and when you set it on the work bench.

Assuming you are aware of all that and you mean that valves that should be shut aren't shutting all the way flush then it could be carbon build upon unusual wear. If this is the case then... (see my next statement which applies regardless)

If you have the head off you should have it reworked. It's only $250-350 and it makes it good as new and ready to go another 100k.

[myzhik86]

Yes there is always a set of valves down but there are others that are supposed to be sitting back in the head while those are down but they are not sitting completely. There is a small gap. when i took it off and before i began to take off the cams i did not note whether or not they were sitting flush in the head, but any ways i never had the cam off all the way so i dont understand what could've been altered?

[Jeron]

Like I said before it could be wear or carbon buildup. If the head is off you should have it machined.

[myzhik86]

How will machining the head remove the carbon build up? Doesnt machining it just include the bottom surface of the head? or are you saying do a complete head job including valves and everything?

[Jeron]

The machinist with regrind the valves and the valve seats. Make sure he can do your head because it has a 3 surface valve seat.

They will also check for cracks, pressure test it, replace the valve seals, test your springs and check everything else for damage.

Milling the head flat is an extra that may not be required.