Valve Stem seal question

**buck531** · 05-12-2015

So I'm getting ready to burn the car to the ground. Here's why.

A few years ago I put on a 3" exhaust with a converter. No big deal. Normally I don't run a cat but I did anyways to keep the sound down on the 3800 sounding like a turd.

Last fall I put on 105 valve springs, modified retainers, locks, etc. Figured I'd replace the seals while I was there. So I got a set from ZZP. Put them on. everything seemed fine.

Had some issues at the track last week and so I gutted the cat converter. Lost 2 psi and such but everything else was fine until a few days later. Then I noticed puffs of blue smoke out the exhaust when I was idling and then gave it gas to go.

Pull the front and rear valve covers and 3 out of the 6 exhaust seals popped off the valve guides. I had a brand new set (brown?) that I got from the gasket kit from the other turd I'm working on.

Replaced all 6 of the exhaust seals. Buttoned it back up. (this was Saturday). Everything was fine until today.
Sitting at a light on the way home from work I give it some gas and look out the rear view mirror and no ****.. nice puff of smoke.

What would cause the seals to pop off again? I shouldn't have touched them when I did the valve springs but since they were cheap I figured I'd do them. Now I'm working on tearing this POS again a 3rd time to figure out why it's doing it.

Any ideas?

**bandook** · 05-12-2015

Not positive, but I know when I installed my felpros, some times they would go on, but the little metal band at the bottom didn't lock all the way around the guide. I had to push the metal ring down so it went all the way. Any of yours do this?

**buck531** · 05-12-2015

Hmm not sure. I had my friend (GM mechanic) put them on as I'm too paranoid to drop a valve.

Do they "snap" in or can you feel it seat down all the way? wonder If I should get a deepwell socket and tap them on.

**BrandonHall10** · 05-12-2015

When I did mine (also figured I'd do them while upgrading springs) I had to push pretty hard to get them to seat. I didn't feel a "snap" per se, but I could tell when they were seated. The metal band would actually separate a little. Also used a deep well socket. Straight push by hand.

Silly question... Did your guy use the little valve stem protectors when he slid the seals on?

**buck531** · 05-12-2015

valve stem protectors? There were just the seals in a bag.

**buck531** · 05-12-2015

I just used a few of the viton seals from when I pulled them off on the GS on Saturday and put them on the spare heads on my workbench. They were down all the way. I could see the stem and it was all flush.

**BrandonHall10** · 05-12-2015

Originally Posted by buck531

valve stem protectors? There were just the seals in a bag.

Something like what's shown here:

Protects the inner lip of the seal from damage while sliding over the keeper groove.

**buck531** · 05-12-2015

Originally Posted by BrandonHall10

When I did mine (also figured I'd do them while upgrading springs) I had to push pretty hard to get them to seat. I didn't feel a "snap" per se, but I could tell when they were seated. The metal band would actually separate a little. Also used a deep well socket. Straight push by hand.

Silly question... Did your guy use the little valve stem protectors when he slid the seals on?

I think I know what you're talking about. I just went back out in the garage and put one of the viton seals on my bare head and then got a 10 MM socket and my rubber mallet and tapped on the seal and it went down just SLIGHTLY more. Not much but enough I could tell.

We just pushed them on. They were tight too. Guess not tight enough.

FFFF looks like I'm pulling it apart this weekend again.

**bandook** · 05-12-2015

Don't really "snap", but you can tell if the ring on the bottom of them is evenly down on all of them pretty easy. Look in the guide hole and see if the bottom of the inside of the seal is down against the top of the guide, and the ring is even and around the guide.

Sorry if I'm confusing. If you put one on it would make sense. When you push it on if you just jam it I think you could bend out that bottom ring. The ring is what clamps the rubber on, if its bent too far out it will probably lose its clampability.

**buck531** · 05-12-2015

Wonder if I can just pull the valve covers off and get a few small screw drivers and put them between the springs and try to press them down some more

.

**CrazyGuy03** · 05-12-2015

1.9 rockers kissing the seals? Had the same issue. Exhaust seal lifted from zzp
intense has the ones with the added clearence

also on the heads I opened from the l26 they had blue and green seals. Not sure what thsts was about. Green on exhaust and blue on intake

**buck531** · 05-12-2015

Yeah I noticed that on your other thread crazy.

I also read on 3800tow that the Intense ones lifted too.. on the exhaust valves. shrug.

I even put on the other brand new set I got from the gasket kit for the other car and they seem to have lifted too. So I dunno.

**BrandonHall10** · 05-12-2015

Are you dipping them before installing?

**buck531** · 05-12-2015

In what...oil? No

**Reptile** · 05-12-2015

I don't dip them in oil, but I've used a Q-tip and coated the inside of the seal with oil so that it slides down over the valve, and onto the seat easier. It also keeps the seal from wanting to roll up when you push it down on the head.

**Scottydoggs** · 05-12-2015

Originally Posted by BrandonHall10

Something like what's shown here:

Protects the inner lip of the seal from damage while sliding over the keeper groove.

my last set of felpros came with the stem condom, you trim it so its just past the lock keepers groove. i just pushed them all the way down firmly, so far so good. mine were that blue green color iirc.

**Xorbex** · 05-12-2015

what were the symptoms other than the smoke for the loose seals? Im nervous about my vitons coming loose. I am getting some smoke on idle but its not blue. Just smells like gas.