Valve Rubber seal

[Cisco82]

Hi fellows ,

today i discovered a littel problem : i forget a "detail" during the engine head restoration

I found the valve rubber seals in the desk drawer and not into the engine head !! finless brown trout , i always forget something!!

So i know they avoid oil leaks into the cylinder and therefore a less oil consumption and better combustion (no oil mixed with air and gasoline), i tried the engine and i dont see white smoke from exhaust so it shouldnt be a great leack.

I have two questions:

1- In your opinion is strictly necessary to add them?? I mean , im going to do maybe 1000 km / year nothing more... do u see any big porblem running without valve seals?

2- Is it possible to add them without removing cylinder head? Maybe using a valve spring compressor linked to the spring and not to the cylinder head? Any suggested procedure?

Thanks

Francesco

[Mark]

Yes you can install the valve seals with the head still attached to the block.You will need a special spring compressor to compress the valve springs as well as something to stick in the cylinder to keep the valves from dropping in cylinder(air, rag, etc) remove the keepers, slide seal onto valve stem, put back together.ask the question to this site and it will give instructions

You feed nylon rope into the spark plug hole, then gently rotate engine to top dead center(compression stroke:valves closed)to undo the keepers.
I'll see if I can find a pic of spring compression tool

[Cisco82]

thankyou, i was thinking about a spring compressor like this one

51JHDmgHJxL._AC_SL1001_.jpg

I have for sure to remove rocker arm and put the cylinder where im going to work to top position (closest point to the head) but im not sure what type of tool i could use to keep the valve into close position when i remove the valve keeprs

[Mark]

No, wrong type, well not wrong type, just different from the one I am thinking of.(the fingers go in between the spring of the valve, compress it to get the keepers loose/then removal of spring

[Cisco82]

Thankyou Mark , maybe i undersand what you re talking about , is it the tool ?

512hCzghMDL._AC_SL1001_.jpg

Just to be sure about the porcedure:

1 - removing rocker arm

2- rotate the engine up to bottom dead center

3 - fill the cylinder with nylon rope

4 - rotate the cylinder up to Top dead center (compression phase)

5- remove valve keeper plates

6 - install seals and re install keepler plate


Note : i have a compressor so i could use air to keep the valve in position , when should i put the air inside the cylinder ? At BDC and then rotate up to TDC or just at TDC?

Thanks

[rickf]

I have used that first type of compressor for 45 years, I see no reason why it would not work. You need to take the spark plugs out so you feed in the rope, then bring that cylinder up to TDC and back it up a little bit. Feed in some clothesline, does not have to fill the cylinder, a couple feet or a meter should be more than enough. Then slowly by hand turn the engine back towards TDC until you feel resistance and stop. The valves are now going
nowhere. Compress the spring and remove the cap and keepers and spring and put the seal on and reverse and done. Just so you know these seals only go on the intake valves.

[Cisco82]

Thankyou Rick your contribution is always appreciated.

I only have two questions:

1- shall I remove the rocker arm shaft or is it possible to shift a bit the rocker arm and operate on the valve spring?

2- shall I operate on intake valve when the cylinder is at TDC compression only or is it fine at the both TDCs?

Thanks

[rickf]

Best to remove the shaft, shifting the rocker over could result in bent parts if it gets caught on a spring. You are best off checking the valve adjustment after doing this either way, it probably will not change but check it to be sure. Since the rocker arm will be off it does not matter which TDC you are on, You are only using the piston to hold the rope against the valves to hold them up. And do not try to jam the rope tight! It only has to be in there lightly snug. When you compress the valve and before you take off the keepers see if the valve will push down, if it does then you need to bring the piston up just a bit. It could also be that in this rare case the rope did not fall under that valve so before you continue drop the piston back down and pull the rope out and push it back in again and raise it up again. If you still have the spring compressed then the valve will probably be sitting down a little and you will see it come up as the rope touches it. You only need to hold it enough that it does not fall into the cylinder.
I have watched people do this and really lean on a wrench on the crankshaft to jam the piston up, while it probably will not damage anything why take the chance when you don't need that much pressure? Snug is good here.

[Cisco82]

thx rick i ll follow your suggestion, rocker arm shaft out.