installing valve seals

[cycleguy]

any one have a hot tip for installing new valve seals? head is on the bench, fully stripped,valves & seats ground. springs are like new-length, pressure ect. Only have 8 seals--really don't care to mess one up! I put bare head in the dish washer??? Really cleaned it nice!!

[DiverRay]

Coat them inside and out with motor oil!! other than that, I've not been there with an XS11 as of yet. I WILL in a month or two!

[Incubus]

Polish up your valve stems with very fine sandpaper or 0000 steel wool so they are very smooth and coat the stems with assembly oil or some type of light grease when you put it all back together. You do not want to abrade the insides of your new seals.

Patrick

[petejw]

find a socket that will fit on the top of the stem seal,
then all u need to do is push them on, real easy to do.
i coat the seal as well as the valve stem with oil when reinstalling.

[cycleguy]

Thanks: was hoping they would just push on. Have in the past had seals with metal jackets that had to be pressed on. I've put new seals on an 1100 before, -- back in 1978! Did extensive head work (port,polish,larger seats&larger stainless valves,milled head & changed valve timing) made a real difference-was the first one to break a driveshaft. What an honor!!

[randy]

BTW, the seals will install with a snap or pop or click so you'll know when they're fully seated. One more tip-a soda straw on the valve stem will reduce the possibility of tearing the new seal when pushing the valve stem through it.