MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGB Technical - mgb head (2)

I have had my 1976 mgb head skimmed, and ground in the valves myself but have noticed 2 things that worry me.
first a few of the holes on the block face next to the cylinder bores have a kind of grey soft material in them, is this a normal manufactures plug, or is this a sediment blockage of the waterway??? and should i attempt to remove it.
Secondly, on valve removal I noticed there wasnt any oil seals on the valves, yet when I purchased my new gasket set there are 8 new little rubber oil seals.
However I did find bigger type seals under 4 of the valve springs. this i cannot understand.
Thanks in advance. Trev
trevwalton

There should not be any soft material. I suggest that it is sludge. Clear out all the holes and look down inside the middle ones to make sure that there is no flash to restrict the water flow.

The B head only has O ring seals in the valve caps. Often they are not put in correctly and end up down the valve stem instead of being trapped between the collets and the valve cap. The sequence to fitting them is compress the valve spring, fit the O ring on the shoulder and fit the collets, then release the valve spring. If you are racing the car, you can omit the seals on the exhaust valves.
Richard Tinkler

The 'normal' seals are o-rings. You can get 'improved' seals which are like little rubber boots with a spring clip on the bottom - these could be what you have on the inlet valves?
neil
Neil22

Trev,

alternative valve stem seals that can be used in a B-Series engine are Fel-Pro stem seal # SS70373
This is normally used for Chevrolet Vega 4 cyl. 140 or the Advanced Performance Technology item # 70373 as used for Ford's 1986 - '92 351 Windsor.

Hope this helps

Ralph
Ralph

Trev,
I'll bet a pound that you cannot get valve stem seals for a Chevvy Vega in Halfords!
Neil
Neil22

No - but you can get them at the usual places - they are the MGC stem seal.
Chris at Octarine Services

Then it might have been better to say that rather than quote some obscure American reference!
Neil
Neil22

Sorry Neil,

i am wit the B's for more than 3o years but never had a C in my collection and did just learn it from The information given by Chris.
BTW, Vauxhaul and Opel cars use the same item on some of their (GM) cars too.


Ralph

Sorry Neil,

i am with the B's for more than 3o years but never had a C in my collection and did just learn it from the information given by Chris. (Thanky you Chris for your info.!)
BTW, Vauxhaul and Opel cars use the same item on some of their (GM) cars too.
I think it is one of the points of this board that we can learn from each other's experiance and knoledge.

Ralph


Ralph

This thread was discussed between 28/10/2007 and 31/10/2007

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGB Technical BBS now