Q: How should the Cylinder Head be prepared for reassembly after valve servicing on a 1995 Honda Del Sol?
A: Regardless of whether the head was sent to an automotive repair shop for valve servicing, ensure it is clean before beginning reassembly. If the head was sent out for valve servicing, the valves and related components will already be in place, allowing you to start the reassembly procedure with the installation of spring seats before the valve seals. New seals should be installed on each of the valve guides, using a hammer and a deep socket or seal installation tool to gently tap each seal into place until fully seated on the guide, taking care not to twist or cock the seals during installation to ensure proper sealing on the valve stems. The valve stem seals are color-coded, with white for the intake valves and black for the exhaust valves. Starting at one end of the head, lubricate and install the first valve, applying moly-base grease or clean engine oil to the valve stem. Position the valve springs (and shims, if used) over the valves, ensuring the end of the valve spring with closely wound coils is toward the cylinder head. Compress the springs with a valve spring compressor, carefully install the keepers in the groove, and slowly release the compressor, ensuring the keepers seat properly. A small dab of grease can be applied to each keeper to hold it in place if necessary. Repeat this procedure for the remaining valves, ensuring that components are returned to their original locations without mixing them up. Check the installed valve stem height with a vernier or dial caliper, measuring from the spring seat to the top of the valve stem. If the head was sent out for service work, the installed height should be correct, but it is important not to assume this. If the height is greater, shims can be added under the springs to correct it, but caution must be taken not to shim the springs to a point where the installed height is less than specified. Finally, apply camshaft assembly lube or moly-base grease to the rocker arm faces, camshaft, and rocker shafts before installing the camshaft, rocker arms, and shafts.