Few quick questions now that the head is off, I am going to be replacing the rockers after all due to one of the lifters having completely failed and separated leading me to believe that they are likely all worn out. This also makes me want to go ahead and replace the exhaust valves, the biggest questions is on this.

1. What other than the exhaust valves do I need?
2. Do I need to lap the valves?
3. When releasing the head bolts some of them hissed, is this expected or is this the sign that the gasket was indeed failed?
4. I am deleting the EGR but don't want to delete FCV since there are no good kits any more, I am getting the coolant bypass/plug but is there an easy way to block off the hole in the intake and at the exhaust?

I don't really have a good machine shop here, I intend to have a local one clean the head and cam cover in their solvent tanks but I would rather take on the valves my self.

Also please do not derail this post with arguments and just stay on topic.

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06' Silver Limited CRD

Secondary fuel filter from wwdiesel
Northstar AGM
GDE Hot Tune
EGR delete
Suncoast TC
Transgo Kit
Carter Intank-pump
SAMCO Hoses
Silicone Intake hose
Silicone Vacuum hoses
Hayden HD Fan Clutch
ARB Front Bumper
Bosch 5V glow plugs
Gen II Fuel Head
Rockfather II Lift
GM 11 Blade fan

1. I had installed the stage 1 kit several years ago but left the EGR and the rest of the plumbing attached. After closer examination with the engine apart it was apparent how old looking the EGR coolant lines were starting to look. I think that's one of the main reasons that people go ahead with the Chinese knock off kits, no worries about coolant leaks.

2. I would be very interested in knowing what kind of money people are spending to get their heads checked out and new valves, etc installed vs the cost of a new replacement.

3. Was your coolant system still intact when you removed the head bolts? What else would be under pressure by that time?

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#1 2006 Silver CRD Limited, flipped spare tire, ASFIR skids, GDE TCM & Ecotune, blue SAMCOs, 5V glow plugs, Rotella T6, intank fuel pump, Gen2 fuel head, new crank sensor, JBA 2.5 in silver package, Provent and ARB bumper
#2 2006 Metallic Green Limited; currently DOA
#3 2005 Silver project; currently not running...don't judge me

I paid $1200 for 16 new guides, 16 new valves, 16 new rockers, and the labor to install everything, replace a couple seats, and weld a small crack.

2. I paid a local, multi generation speed shop $100 to check/clean the head and install my exhaust valves. Plus remove the carcass of the #1 glow plug. I supplied all the parts. The son of the owner is a casual friend so I suspect I received the "family" discount.

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2005 Liberty CRD. New rockers, exhaust valves; Provent, EGR block & butterfly delete & V6 air box at 100K

1998 XJ 4.0L, 2" lift

First Jeep: 1962 Willys CJ-3B

Replacing the valves is not that hard, look up "lapping valves" on youtube for videos about how to do this. You DO NOT need to mess with the guides or the seats, as they are pressed in and trying to mess with them can and has caused cracked heads. Lapping the valves to the existing seats is all that you need to do, after cleaning everything sufficiently.

There should not have been any pressure in the engine after many hours of disassembly, the noise you heard from the head bolts was likely just air getting down into the sockets where it hasn't been in a long time. These are blind holes in the block. The only way to know if the head is good is a pressure test, or while still assembled, the cold engine test.

As for deleting the EGR, the currently available Chinesium kits might be using steel tubing instead of aluminum, but they are perfectly functional for replacing the elbow and come with the caps needed for the coolant system and exhaust manifold. Use with confidence. Get a kit that has a two-piece elbow-and-flange and a silicone hose "collar" rather than the elbow with the bolt flange as one piece. The flexibility in installation is worth a few more shekels.

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Proud supporting vendor of LOST Jeeps
TRAVELING CRD TECH. I come to you!
Need help? Just ask! I've taken it apart more than most.
Email jeep [at] maincomputer [dot] com - BOARD MESSAGING IS BROKEN
Over 225 CRDs currently driving with my valves, timing belt, rockers, or ARP Studs.
Bad noises = REALLY bad things.

My 180k head had two wrecked seats and multiple worn-oit-of-spec guides. Any valves put back in would have had short lives. I'd recommend having this stuff checked by someone who knows what they are doing rather that go to the trouble and expense of reassembly only to find out the hard way something easy and cheap to fix wasn't.