Valve seal question
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,470
Likes: 2
From: levittown pa. usa Even a bad day with my `Vette, is better than a good day at work
St. Jude Donor '10
Valve seal question
I got the valve covers off on my `87 ( Fun Job 
), went to NAPA, & bought a new set of valve seals, & O rings, & am in the starting pahse of the " rope " trick. So far-so good. Questions: The guy at Napa sold me 16 Clevite #216-1067 umbrella valve seals, & a pack of 16 O rings. I had read that there were different seals for the intake, & the exhaust. Is it ok to use all the same type of seals?. Also when I took the spring off the valve on #1 cylinder ( 1st valve toward front of engine ), there was no umbrella seal, or any other kind of seal, except for an O ring, which was hard as a rock. Is this normal?. Does the umbrella seal go all the way down, & slip over the guide or whatever its called, or does it ride on the valve stem. This is my first attempt at this stuff, & I have all three manuals (shop,Chilton,Haynes,)< & none of them address every little thing. 
I keep reminding myself how much "Fun" I`m having, while I`m cleaning up the blood.
Thanks Ken
), went to NAPA, & bought a new set of valve seals, & O rings, & am in the starting pahse of the " rope " trick. So far-so good. Questions: The guy at Napa sold me 16 Clevite #216-1067 umbrella valve seals, & a pack of 16 O rings. I had read that there were different seals for the intake, & the exhaust. Is it ok to use all the same type of seals?. Also when I took the spring off the valve on #1 cylinder ( 1st valve toward front of engine ), there was no umbrella seal, or any other kind of seal, except for an O ring, which was hard as a rock. Is this normal?. Does the umbrella seal go all the way down, & slip over the guide or whatever its called, or does it ride on the valve stem. This is my first attempt at this stuff, & I have all three manuals (shop,Chilton,Haynes,)< & none of them address every little thing. I keep reminding myself how much "Fun" I`m having, while I`m cleaning up the blood.
Thanks Ken
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,290
Likes: 239
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
I used 16 intake seals(viton) The exhaust ones are usually just a hard plastic shield. You probably didn't find a seal there because it probably fell apart and is in your pan.
Be sure the seal is pushed firmly over the valve guide or it may start riding the valve stem. I made sure the guide was clean and dry when I installed mine thinking that they would stay in place alot better.
Be sure the seal is pushed firmly over the valve guide or it may start riding the valve stem. I made sure the guide was clean and dry when I installed mine thinking that they would stay in place alot better.
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Mission Viejo CA
FelPro has a valve seal kit where the intake and exhaust seals are different colors. Regarding your question about the o-rings that were originally on your valve stems: Those are the original oil seals!! They're the reason your oil is flowing "through" your motor. I used a deep socket to push down (by hand) the new seal on the guide. The FelPro kit also has 16 o-rings that are to be installed as well. As I recall, they're pushed down to the small indentation on the stem and then the spring is re-installed...Good luck...Your oil consumption should be greatly reduced if there's nothing else majorly wrong with your motor.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,470
Likes: 2
From: levittown pa. usa Even a bad day with my `Vette, is better than a good day at work
St. Jude Donor '10
Thanks for the info guys. I bought the umbrella seals & the 0 rings, not knowing that it was an either or situation. The mechanics at work said to use one or the other. Using both is overkill, according to them. 
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Most later GEN I sbc's have either nothing or only an umbrella seal on the exhaust, plus the O rings. The intakes can be either an umbrella or a positive seal. The umbrella seals look just like an umbrella, they are bell shaped, open on the bottom, and move up and down with the valve. Positive seals, usually have a squarer profile, and have a spring around the open end, so they will grip the outside of the valve guide and stay in place. I replaced mine this spring with positive intake seals on ALL the valves AND used the O rings. Valve guides are a weak point on a sbc. It is hard to get too much valve stem oil control on a high mileage engine.
RACE ON!!!
RACE ON!!!
