Thread: valve stem oil seals

best to take a valve with you to check for the correct stem seal diameter. There's reasonable evidence to suggest that you don't need valve stem seals on the exhaust valves.. just the inlets. On my recent effort with my 4.6 Thor engine, only the inlet valves have stem seals to reduce the likelihood of carbon build up on exhaust valves

Originally Posted by mateusz

Hi gents. I have cylinder heads which im refurbishing. Originally they were for fuel injection. I have bought valve stem oil seals but theyre too small. Are there two types of valve stem oil seals for rover v8? Thankyou in advance.

G`day ,

yes , there are 2 types , a flat washer type for earlier and a cup type for later .

It appears from your post you may have bought the later cup type but have the earlier heads .

If your heads are to suit models 1976 to 1992 they will be 14 bolt heads and have ERC 0216 marking , these heads use the flat washer type stem seal . ( 3.5 and 3.9 )

The start of the use of the cup type seal was the 1992 model still 14 bolt but with a casting number of HRC 2210 . ( 3.9 ) JA vin which is 91/2 build .

All 10 bolt Landrover heads use the cup type seal . (3.9 . 4.0 , 4.6 )

If the heads a pre 1976 they used no stem seals as std .

The later heads have the guides machined to accept the cup type seal , the guides can be interchanged .

It appears i cannot fit the cup type. they look great. so flat rubber washer type? where do they go? same place as cup type? thanks in advance chaps

Originally Posted by mateusz

It appears i cannot fit the cup type. they look great. so flat rubber washer type? where do they go? same place as cup type? thanks in advance chaps

G`day , they go on the valve stem and sit on the top of the guide initially , they then choose there own running height through the mechanics of the valve movement .

Here's an old used car dealer trick. Get some petroleum resistant hose that is a neat sliding fit over the valve stem. Cut to length that compresses it when the valve opens.

You can probably get the valve guides machined by a head reconditioner to take the new style valve stem seals. I made a simple tool many years ago to do this on P76's which run plain guides.