Piston Rings And Valve Seal Replacement

[Noodoo]

I'm starting to look at changing my piston rings and valve seals, as my IS puffs out blue smoke for a couple of seconds when cold, (definitely blue) which I understand to be either of the above, so I thought I might as well do them both at the same time, saves me taking the engine apart twice if I just do one and it turns out to be the other. Problem is, (maybe due to my rubbish searching skills) I can't find any new valve seal sets, and the piston rings I can find are around £145.

Are there any other places than eBay that will do me the rings for cheaper?

Are there any places that do the stem seals at all? (Hopefully for a reasonable price?

I'm better off sticking a new head gasket on while I'm at it aren't I?

[paul_tomo]

Im looking at doing the same very soon because just after my radiator poped on the motorway iv had the same blue smoke when starting for a few seconds, definitely do head gasket and a head skim because you will have to remove head to get to piston rings anyway, the valve stem seals will come in a head set

[Noodoo]

Ok will do, I'm doing a timing belt and water pump change, and the other belts too. Is there anything else i should be thinking about doing while I'm at it?

a

And i realised what I was doing wrong before, I've now found plenty of head sets :D

[clifton 94]

hi it may be cheaper to put a second hand engine in rather than strip the engine down

[Noodoo]

True, but I know that my engine (apart from the smoking habit) is fine, so I'd rather stick with it.

I think I'll stick with just doing the head work and leave the piston rings though, it will be too expensive and time consuming doing the piston rings so I'll just have to hope that it is just the valve stem seals.