Watermota Sea Panther top-end overhaul

ncritchley

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Hi everyone,
I've finally got around to rebuilding my Sea Panther. As the head's already off, I thought I should replace the valve seals. The originals are simply flat discs, while the replacements I bought are dome shaped. It seems they will fit and do the job anyway. Has anyone here replaced these seals, and if so with what type?
Thanks!
Neil Critchleyseals.jpeg
 

harvey38

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The 'Newer' dome shame allow the oil to drip down away from the valve stem, with the older, flat shape oil can remain on top thus allowing oil to drip down the valve stem.
 

ncritchley

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Ah thanks that's interesting! Can you advise me which way up the dome-shaped ones go?
From what you say I'd guess the "open" end goes down, like an upside-down cup?
 

VicS

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Ah thanks that's interesting! Can you advise me which way up the dome-shaped ones go?
From what you say I'd guess the "open" end goes down, like an upside-down cup?
Usually fit over the protruding top of the valve guide.
 

davidej

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A bit of a coincidence but my son in law has been refurbishing his head of his 1955 Austin Healey.

He has had new guides fitted and he was supplied with the new cup shaped seals in place of the old disk ones.

Since then, he has had problems with the valves sticking open, this may of course may have nothing to do with the seals but he is wondering if it is caused by a reduction of oil getting into the guide.
 

ncritchley

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Thanks for this! It's a bit of a dilemma, but I'll go with the umbrella ones I think - some of the discs have split anyway. Fingers crossed.
 

Tranona

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Pretty sure the cup type seals were introduced a loooooong time ago. I last did a crossflow engine rebuild in the early 1980s and remember cup seals on the valve stems.
 
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