The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 216 valve stem seal

I have two questions:

1) All of the shorter valve guide (at the top of the guide) is threaded - WHY?

2) I watched a u-tube video on replacing the valve stem seal on a 235 (couldn't find any video for a 216) thinking it would be the same on a 216 but it wasn't. The shop manual isn't much help. I bought some o-ring style seals but not really sure where they install at (In the valve guides?). The u-tube video showed the valve stem with two notches, one for the seal and one for the keeper but mine only has one notch.

Some 216's came from the factory with a hat-shaped metal deflector that fit on top of the valve stem between the rocker arm and the valve. Those engines didn't have a stem seal. The valves intended to use O rings will have two grooves at the top. The bottom one gets the O ring and the top gets the split lock keeper. You can also use an umbrella-style seal that rides on the valve stem and deflects oil away from the top of the valve guide.
Jerry

I remember those deflectors. They were only on either the intake or exhaust valves, I didn't know what they were so I asked and was told I didn't need them so I threw them away. I looked at those umbrella seals but what I seen was they all needed machine work at the shop to install them. What are my options at this point?

They would be on the intakes- - - -the exhaust valve and stem is angled enough that oil can't puddle on top of the guide, and there's no vacuum underneath to suck it down the guide. The umbrella seals I'm talking about simply slip over the valve stem and ride up and down with the valve- - - -no machining needed since they don't attach to the guide at all. Fel-Pro and several other gasket manufacturers make them in a variety of stem sizes and guide diameters, so find a good old-time parts man who knows how to read a catalog instead of some mouth breathing nose-picker who only knows how to punch a computer keyboard. If you were in Nashville Tennessee, that guy would be Jackie at Nashville Engine Parts Warehouse. I've been doing business with him for 30+ years. Good luck!
Jerry

Thanks Jerry.. Do they call those umbrella seals anything spacial

Look up "valve stem seal" on Ebay- - - - -you should find hundreds of them listed. I believe the stems on a 216 are 11/32" in diameter (0.343") You'll need a .343 inside diameter seal that's big enough to be a slip fit over the valve guide- - - -a dial caliper is definitely your friend, along with a little common sense. The seals that are usually used on exhaust valves have a much shorter "cup" section that the ones for intakes.
Jerry

Seals for a Ford 302 V8 will work- - - - -you can get 16 of them on Ebay for $6.99.
Jerry

OK I ordered the seals and they arrived yesterday. Before I install them I want to make sure I ordered the correct ones before installing them.

Do the seals fit loosely over the valve guide or tightly?

I guess I should have stated that the valve stem seals that I ordered were umbrella style seals. Are they suppose to fit tight around the valve guides or loosely

They are supposed to fit tight on the valve stem. If they fit tight on both the valve stem and the valve guide, they wouldn't last for very many revolutions of the engine. They call them umbrella seals because that is exactly how they work. The oil rides down the valve stem, encounters the umbrella, and drips off the outer rim of it, avoiding direct contact with the junction of the valve stem and the valve guide.

Well crap.. I know they at the right size for the valve stem but thought I got them big enough to be loose on the valve guide.. I guess I will have to order another set