Valve stem oil seals

[marsbar]

Alert Newbie question......
I am rebuilding my SD1 and am about to start re-assembling the cylinder heads. When I took the heads apart there were only oil seals on one valve per cylinder (can't remember which one!) and these were not of a type I am familiar with i.e. they appeared to be rubber washers.
So the question(s)
1. Is there a better seal - I'm seen more conventional ones sold but I think my elderly heads will need new valve guides?
2. Was there only one seal per cylinder or had the other one disintegrated (hard to believe this happened on every cylinder)?
3. What do others use - just one off washer type per cylinder?
Thanks
Chris

[ChrisJC]

There was a period of rubber washer type oil seals - on the inlet valves only.

The later type seals were on both valves, but as you say, need new valve guides to accommodate them. They must be better, otherwise they wouldn't have made the change...

Chris.

[marsbar]

Thanks Chris, confirms what I thought/suspected - I'll probably stick with the washer approach as I'm not up for replacing all the valve guides......
Unless of course anyone out there has another solution!

[ChrisJC]

I have heard that it is possible to machine the valve guides in-situ, but to be honest, if going to that much bother, I would just push the old ones out and push new ones in with the correct features.

Chris.

[DEVONMAN]

You can get oil seals that fit your guides. Search ebay UKC7012L

[marsbar]

Thanks DEVONMAN