valve stem seals

[nitaat54]

Hi all does anybody sell valve stem seals for a 1950 Austin A40 Devon 1200cc or can you use seals from a different Austin to fit. just pulled the head of the motor and I found out why it smoked like the a steam train, no valve stem seals at all so I don’t even know what they look like, hope someone can help. can’t find them in Australia.

 

[MikeN]

I rebuilt the engine on my Devon pickup last year. I asked this question at the engine shop who carried out some work for me. The guy disappeared and came back with a handful of stem seals from an A-series ( he said) which he gave me. he also showed me an a-series valve guide so I could measure the end.I bought bronze valve guides from the club spares scheme and had to turn down the end a bit to accept the seals on my lathe. I’ve done nearly 3000 miles yet and haven’t had to top up the oil yet and the  valves haven’t seized , so I’m very pleased.

Mike

[MikeN]

Forgot to say, these engines did originally have a stem “seal” but it’s not really worthy of the name. It’s a rubber washer (more like a tap washer!) that goes around the top of the valve stem and is somehow supposed to stop oil running down the stem and entering the guide.

BTW, The later B-series engine has valve stem seals but the stems are a different diameter to the 1200 engine. So no use.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by MikeN.

[nitaat54]

Thank you for that, mine would have had the washer type seals but they had just disappeared over time, the valve guides will also have to be replaced so we will see how it works out.

[nitaat54]

Hi MikeN, also wanted to know why my engine has no dipstick to check the oil level how do you check the oil?

 

[MikeN]

Hello, Well the smart arse answer is, I don’t know why you don’t have a dipstick perhaps you’ve lost it? But the more helpful reply is that the hole for the dipstick is located on the right hand side of the engine in front of the starter motor and behind the oil filter.  It’s literally, just a hole about 7mm diameter. If the dipstick is missing then there’s nothing to stop dirt falling into the engine.

Just had a thought. If you dont have a dipstick, maybe you were putting to much oil in and that’s why the engine smoked badly?

• This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by MikeN.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by MikeN.

[nitaat54]

Thanks for that will have a look when I get the bottom end back,.

[MikeN]

Can I make as suggestion. If you have the engine out and the head off. Before you refit the head get a piece of stuff wire, like a wire coat hanger. Snip off a length and insert it down through the water holes in the top of the cylinder block . It should go down about 100mm , maybe more. If it doesn’t then you need to investigate why. The water gallery may choked with years of rusty crap and this will probably cause overheating. Note there should be a free passage of water from top to bottom and all the way round all 4 cylinders. It took me days to clear out the rubbish from the block on my car. It was quite alarming the amount of stuff that I got out.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by MikeN.

[nitaat54]

Have had the block Acid dipped and there is still a lot of flaky stuff that I need to get out.

[Author]

Posts