i need to know the symptoms of a sticking valve.

 

Sorry, have to. I feel that something is going on in your engine, otherwise you would not be asking. So I will reverse the question: What leads you to inquiring?

 

i am trying to sell my car and some guy said it might have a sticking valve because it runs a little rough and the ses light came on i just thought i needed a tune up. so now he is bringing a mechanic over to look at it with him and i dont want to look stupid or be tricked into lowering the price. oh and the ses code was that it was running lean so i figured it didnt have much to do with anything.

 

I HIGHLY doubt you have a sticking valve.

Probably could use a good tune up, complete with 02 sensor.

 

thats what i thought. but if he comes here proclaiming it does have a sticking valve i want to know the symptoms of one so i can prove him wrong. o2 sensor would make it run rough? because i think it has a newer one but do you think it might have gone bad because of the headers or high flow cat?

 

yes, a bad o2 can definitly make things go screwy. I would replace it, especially if you got the lean code.

Do a compression test (or a leak down test) on all 8 if you have the means and are curious.

 

how much is a o2 sensor and how hard is it to install? could this be the reason why my car didnt pass inspection?

 

and i still need to know the symptoms of a sticking valve just to be safe

 

Depending on what you failed on, yes.

Bosch is like 20ish. AC Delco is like 35ish. how hard are they, you can do it yourself. Driver side manifold, towards the bottom. pop the hood and peer under there. You will see a sensor plugged in with a pigtail coming off of it.

 

is it going to make it harder since i have headers?

 

Do your headers have an o2 bung welded in? Have to have that in order for them to accept a sensor, which is threaded.

 

yea it has all that emissions stuff welded in

 

Then there's only 1 way to find out. Go replace it.

 

yea i'll probably get a new o2 sensor tomarrow but i still would like to know what a sticking valve is like

 

Plug in a vacuum gauge for an intake valve. Backfiring, running rough (like a miss), and/or popping can be tributed to the exhaust.

Just take a rubber mallet to each valve stem tip. Tap it gently. You should hear all 16 'pop' as they return to their seat.

 

would a bad o2 sensor cause the ses light to come on and then go off or would it stay on? Now that it has been sitting the light comes on almost every time i take it for a block