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MG MGA - Valve Seals

While waiting for some engine parts to arrive I decided to take a close look at my head so I dissasembled a valve. I found from the DPO that the oil deflecter was installed on the bottom of the inner spring and no seals were present at all!. Moss sent with there head kit the "O" ring that goes in the grove of the valve and anothe rubber washer. Does this washer sit on top of the valve guide?
WMR Bill

Well since I did not get much of a responce to my dumb question, i thought I wouls send a pic. I just need to clarify were the flat nylon/rubber washer goes. I found none of the books are very specific. The washer is on the lower right hand side.


WMR Bill

Here is a pic how I presume they go. Any confirmation, as always is greatly appreciated!
Thans!


WMR Bill

Bill I am pretty sure that its a one or the other. In your case the O rings. Some of the early Austin come BMC engines had a collet retainer that split in the middle into top and lower halves and the flat washer went in there to do the same thing that the O rings do (stop oil running down the valve stem) Remember when assembling, compress the spring and retainer, slip the O ring over the valve stem and then insert the collet's against the O ring making a snug fit in the retainer.
DENIS4

Bill:
This site might be renamed in your honor--Amateur Hour. Unzip you drawers, take a pic of your wedding using wedding cars tonbridge tackle, post it on this site and ask another stupid question of this kind group.
CDD Duerr

Trying to think of a nice way to respond to CCD's input. Can't seem to come up with one.
Ed Bell

I've always thought that one of the nice things about this site is that no one need worry about asking a silly question, experience is not a prerequisite for help.
J H Cole

I enjoy reading the questions and responses that come up on this site and feel I can learn a lot, contribute a little and also have an occasional laugh.

I was following this thread with interest as I will be doing a head rebuild soon. I am interested to have the input of any of the members of the forum to see what is considered the current best practice as well as getting a heads up on any potential problems.

I hope that CDD was just trying to inject some humour.

I for one appreciate the frankness and questions posed by Bill and great deal of experience that the responses reflect.

Neil

Neil McGurk

Mr. Duer is not try to inject humor but rather continues to act like a child. The few time I met him It was easy to detrmine he suffer from a anger management prolem and sever depression. I will be filiing complaint to the site. This is the moran that sold me a blown engine as new that I returned (Talk about amatuer). He cannot seem to take the hint that he is very unstable and I just did not want to do any buisness with him. But he seems to to find satisfaction in acting like a two year old and leaving obsenities on my phone and this forum. Sorry it had to spill into this respectful and helpfull group. I guess there is always one!
WMR Bill

Bill,

Since you let this out of Pandora's box you may want to check out Barney's web page he has a recommendation for better teflon coated valve covers.

BTW, your question help me out immensely. When disassembling my head the previous owner had NO valve seal over the valve guide, only the little "o" ring.

I had no idea until I read this post.

I'm sorry you had to have a bad interaction through this hobby. My experience both here and in the real world has led me to meet only very decent and genuinely helpful people.

Mr. Duerr you are completely out of line in your commentary. The whole point of this place is for people who have never taken apart an MG to access the experience of those who have. I contrast your comments with those regular posters on here who have devoted entire private web pages to answering the most rudimentary questions regarding these cars.
T McCarthy

There is no such thing as a "dumb question". Questions are how we learn about things we don't know.
J Heisenfeldt

I will confess I only came here to see what CDD is up to, but since no-one has answered the question yet: Bill, that is how the seals go, you have to assemble the springs, the deflector and the cup, compress them, install the seal, put the colletts/keepers in place then release the spring assembly.

Mike

The Wiz

Thanks everybody! I am not to concerned about Mr. Duer. His comment speaks for itself. I, Like most people on this site, are here to enjoy and promote vintage cars and there presevation. I get a lot of fun and enjoyment form this hobby and am honnered to be albe to afford and enjoy and hopefully pass on to to another generation.
Cheers!
WMR Bill

My engine was rebuilt with what I considered original type seals. Simple "o" rings. These were absolutely hopeless and the engine burned oil all the time and thus used about 1 pint per 200 miles !!!!

I got so fed up that I took the head off and had the top of the valve guides machined to take a more up to date cap type oild seal. Since then the engine has used next to no oil at all and so untill I have to top it up I will not know how many thousand miles it will do to the pint. :-))

Bob (robert) Midget Turbo

See the final installment of this tech page from Barney.
http://www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/engine/ch202.htm
T McCarthy

Anyone this side of the pond know of a UK source for these seals or anyone ordered recently from US?

Neil
Neil McGurk

Neil,

I don't know diameter of valve stem or valve guide of the B-series engine but check with VW, they have a very good valve stem seal.

Siggi
Siggi

I installed the Sealed Power ST2001 as per Barney's site on my 1800 and they work great. Oil consumption dropped and no more blue smoke out the tailpipe.
Kris Sorensen

Neil,

Let me know if you need me to get you a set and then mail them on.

Kris,

Did you buy them from Rock or Parts America
T McCarthy

I had my guides machined and I installed a set of valve seals with teflon inserts. They work very well, no more blue smoke, and very little oil consumption. I would not hesitate to encourage others to go this route.


Ed Bell

I just ordered the st2001. Should I presume with these seals that the deflecter, "O" ring, and nylon washer should be eliminated?
Thanks!
WMR Bill

Bill,

Referring to the Moss exploded diagram and part references I believe it will go like this: (Start reading at reference point "bottom" read up, I worded it this way to follow the part order for each item that goes over or on top of another item)

Clip #51 over cotter, release compression (Top)

Insert split valve cotter #50 in retainter

place valve retainer #53 over assembly described below and compress:

place oil deflector #54 over inner spring (not 100% on that due to new seal; would test fit)

place inner and outer spring over assembly described below:

fit "O" ring #52 in recessed area on valve
Fit st2001 on end of Guide
Slide on Collar #56 on Guide
Valve Guide with Valve fitted
Head-(Bottom)
T McCarthy

Perfect, Thanks T!
WMR Bill

I didn't realise how many thousands of people have developed their own way to replace the crap original valve seals with far better modern versions. The reason I did mine was simply because I was fed up with using more oil that petrol. After I had done them I realised how many other people did the same.
Bob (robert) Midget Turbo

T, would appreciate that very much if no-one here has a source, please send pm to neilmcgurk at hotmail dot com so we can make arrangements.
Neil McGurk

I asked my machinist about teflon valve stem seals, and he recommended viton seals instead. From what I've read they seem to be a good alternative. Any comments?
Mark J Michalak

Mark, Viton is more flexible than Teflon, so probably can seal tighter.
A Pearse

Mark,

I brought in the Sealed Power teflon seals with my head and noticed my machinist had a huge bag of viton ones and inquired. He said that he has not seen or had any problems with the teflon seals except the tend to swell a bit with age while the viton ones hold up a bit better to the heat and would probably last longer. They were about $4 for the set.

Either way anything should be better than those o-rings.

I purchased the teflon ones from Rock Auto and as I mentioned, the machinist supplied to viton ones. They were a stock size that fit inside the inner spring with no problems.

Good luck!
Tom Baker

Hi,

Any way to replace these without removing the head ? I know about the "rope trick" and using an air compressor, but is there an easy way to compress the springs to get it apart ?

Duncan
DA MacFarlane

A valve spring tool like in this picture. This one in from Snap On.


R J Brown

This thread was discussed between 12/08/2008 and 19/08/2008

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