SD1 Vave stem seals?

Jono FD3 · Post by **Jono FD3** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 12:38 am

Guys, I've just pulled the heads apart to get them all checked, decked and ported..... and when I stripped the valves out I noticed that the valve seals were like rubber washers..... is this correct as all the stem seals I have fitted act like a top hat and sit snugly on the valve guide!!

Jono

sidecar · Post by **sidecar** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 4:37 am

That's what the seals are like on the early heads.

marcjagman · Post by **marcjagman** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 7:29 am

Never seen a RV8 with valve stem oil seals, mine is an 11A engine, SD1, and that doesn't have them, should it?

sidecar · Post by **sidecar** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 7:53 am

marcjagman wrote:Never seen a RV8 with valve stem oil seals, mine is an 11A engine, SD1, and that doesn't have them, should it?

My understanding is that the very early heads had no seals, later heads had flat rubber washer type seals which were not much good. Later still heads had 'proper' seals.

DEVONMAN · Post by **DEVONMAN** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:23 am

Don't know the date of the upgrade (maybe early 1990's) but all later engine have propper cup type oil seals and the valve guide has a groove to locate them.

Cheers Denis

Jono FD3 · Post by **Jono FD3** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 12:15 pm

can you fit the later seals to the older style guids??
I know it would probably mean putting a grove in the guide, but that can be done with a dremal I'd of thought??

Jono

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 12:32 pm

Yes it can be done with the addition of a grove, or buy later valve guides with the grove in and fit them.
Best regards
Mike

Pocket rocket · Post by **Pocket rocket** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:53 pm

marcjagman wrote:Never seen a RV8 with valve stem oil seals, mine is an 11A engine, SD1, and that doesn't have them, should it?

that's 'cos they get chewed up and disappear after a certain (short) amount of time

Can't find 'em in my rebuilt 3.5 but I know I fitted them only a couple of years ago

gelmonkey · Post by **gelmonkey** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:20 pm

Opel Manta 2ltr cih engines have VSOS that fit straight on bit of p*ss.
Done it loads of times ,never had a problem.

Cheers
P

Jono FD3 · Post by **Jono FD3** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:00 pm

So the old manta stem seals fit on the old rover guides you say (the ones with out a ridge)??

Jono

gelmonkey · Post by **gelmonkey** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 2:15 pm

Yep
Small rubber cup with a spring around the top.
Slide em over,bit of threadlock job sorted.

cheers
P

sidecar · Post by **sidecar** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 2:26 pm

If you go fitting seals to heads that were not made to take them you should check that the valve spring retainers do not hit the top of the seals. Weak checker springs and a couple of old lifters that have been filled up with glue or wax will help you carry out this task. They will probably be OK but it would be a pain in the ass if they hit!

Just my humble!

gelmonkey · Post by **gelmonkey** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 2:59 pm

Hi Pete
Obvoiusly this would depaend on the cam but I can honestly say that I have never had a problem with this.

Long time no speak,will catch up with you soon(work has been a mare so far this year and is just starting to slow down now)

cheeers
P

sidecar · Post by **sidecar** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 5:55 pm

gelmonkey wrote:Hi Pete
Obvoiusly this would depaend on the cam but I can honestly say that I have never had a problem with this.

Long time no speak,will catch up with you soon(work has been a mare so far this year and is just starting to slow down now)

cheeers
P

Hi Mr. Monkey,

You modification sounds like a good one and is well worth doing on the older heads.

Cheers,

Pete

Jono FD3 · Post by **Jono FD3** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 7:50 pm

can you do this with stock rover stem seals (the ones that come in the kit).... or does it has to be the Manta ones due to the size of the valve guide??