Valve seals?

[fubar2]

The machinist at the local NAPA store told me I should use seals on all valves including exhaust. I was thinking I read on this forum that they only go on the intakes. Do I use seals on the exhaust valves or not?

 

[Bob]

I ASSUME you are referring to the square-cut rubber seals that go in the grooves on the valve guide?

IF so, they would serve NO purpose on the exhaust valves, and, on the other hand, they aren"t going to hurt anything, either, if you install them.

 

[fubar2]

Yes that's it. I told him I read different and he mumbled something about not wanting oil to get past them. I forgot to add it is a 52 8n.

 

[4play]

Seals on the exh valves is not going to do much if anything at all. They are needed on the intake because when the engine is running there is a vacuum in the intake which will want to suck oil past the guides and into the intake, no vacuum in the exhaust ports to do that. Another use for exh seals is on OHV engines, that when you shut engine off the oil puddles sitting on top of the heads wont creep down past the guides, this is not an issue on these flat head engines since the valves are upside down.

 

[fubar2]

Thanks guys, in the interest of having no sticking valves I think I'll just put them on the intakes.