Morris Minor Owners Club

Hello all

I am in the process of giving a cylinder head a refresh after finding a water leak into one cylinder. This post is not about the water leak but valve seals. I have found a type of seal on the inlet valves that I have not seen before (See picture). They are a metal cylinder with a plastic insert. They are apparently held in place by a flange on the bottom of the metal cylinder engaging a groove in the guide. So they are a bit like the rubber 'top-hat' with spring type. I bought four of the latter for the inlet valves, but I can't see how to get the existing ones off and if I were to get them off, I don't know whether the groove in the guides is of a suitable specification to retain the rubber 'top-hats'.

Can anyone shed some light on:
1) whether the metal cylinder with plastic insert type of seal is effective
2) how to get them off, and
3) whether the groove in the guide is likely to be suitable to retain rubber 'top-hat' seal (position, depth, width).

I would appreciate your guidance.

BTW, you will see that one of the stems in the picture has a black plastic washer on it. Oddly, each inlet valve had one of these on it as well as the above-mentioned seal AND a rubber O-ring!

Don

I have not come across the metal sleeved ' Top Hat ' style valve stem seals and so far have found no reference to them or source for them in relation to the 'A' Series.
They may well be from another make/type of vehicle and modified to suit.
I would suggest that you flip them off using two flat screwdrivers.
Make sure that the valve guide is the correct height above the valve spring seat as they look low to me.
I would use these ' Top Hat ' seals with spring .https://www.minispares.com/ljq101160-va ... mpi-models
Looking at the other bare valve guides I would suggest that the groove in the valve guide is deep enough to retain the neoprene ' Top Hat ' seal.
The additional flat rubber washer looks as if it could be the flat washer that was fitted into the early valve guide shroud. There is absolutely no need for the flat rubber washer to be fitted. The valve guide shroud and flat rubber washer were discarded by BMC as they were found to be completely ineffective.
This is the nearest type/style of metal sleeved valve guide seal I have found so far.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126589728563 ... R6j-j_PFZg

Phil
Thank you for your expert information and advice.
I will see how I go getting the existing ones off.
Don