Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi everyone

Getting close to finishing my moggie bottom end rebuild, at the same time I have cleaned out the cylinder head and put in new valves, I see on ESM spares there are some spring type (looks like a cup?!) oil seals, should I be using these instead as the O-rings don't look like they will last very long

Are they the ones fitted to the metro a series engines?

Hopefully you checked the amount of wear on the valve guides when fitting new valves ? The spring/cup stem seals are designed to fit the later design of guides - which have a groove to help retain the seals. So - if the guides are worn, fit new ones which will take the new seals. You can use the new seals with the old guides - but they may not stay in place for long.
Have you ground the new valves into the head ?

Very little wear to guides, all new valves ground in, so would it be worth buying some? only concerned with the o ring's as they are quite delicate

Can I fit ones that's meant for a mini or metro? easier to get hold of locally than having to wait for the ones from esm

Yes - fit the Mini ones - only on the inlet valve stems ! But they may not stay in place for long because there is no 'groove' in the guide. Worth trying though - the O rings are useless.......

The ones with a spring/cup seal ones do deteriorate as well. I've fished out a few of the little springs from the cylinder head area and sump. Minispares places sell 'longer lasting' ones that are supposed to survive better. If you only need 4 they might be worth the invest.

which year did the mini's have these fitted? probably safe if I say 1990 onwards?

Pretty much all 1275s.