231 Valve Seals Question

Hey Now.
Putting new valve springs on my 1980 Buick 231 before I install it in my CJ. (trying to avoid the problem I had with my Dauntless). Seems this engine doesn’t use a seal on the exhaust valve. On the intake there was a hard plastic seal (on 5 out of 6 ) the replacements I bought fit well over the valve rod but loose on the guide. Is this going to be Okay?

New one installed, old sitting on the head.

 

Correct they were only used on the intake ( I've had my exhaust guides cut and added seals) Stock is the mushroom type. Ime they are a little loose on the guide but once the valve keepers are installed there's not enough room for them to ride up above.
Got a pic of the guide with the seal off? Want to see if yours have been milled for the type on the right.

 

The type on the right is what came off the intake side. They fit snugly over the post. New seals are snug on the valve but loose on the post.

 

IIRC a hot rod upgrade is to machine the valve guide tops for so-called "Perfect Circle" valve seals. These are an aftermarket part that is somehow better than the hard plastic mushroom seals that most engines came with. That's what that black rubber seal with the two wire bands around it looks like to me.

I kinda think a single owner's experience with this is not evidence of what should or should not be there. Somebody with more machine shop experience than me will be more certain.

 

Buicks thinking was there's no vacuum draw on the exhaust valve, hence no need for oil seals, they did this with the V8's also.
You can leave it as designed, or modify for seals, seems every other engine design uses seals on the exhaust also.The OEM Intake seals were a bit loose on the stems , so the oil could get there, I believe

 

I’m concerned because the seals will ride up and down on the valve instead of staying with the post and the valve pushing thru. They will work well as an umbrella but will they be miss-align, squished, tore up, carried into engine and blocking up something?

 

The orange ones in your pic are umbrella seals. They are designed to ride up & down on the valve stem . That is why they are loose fitting over the valve guide . The old ,other black ones are designed to drive in & stay in the guide , while the intake valve stem rides through them,
But they have no umbrella . It's the umbrella type that rides up & down on the valve stem .

 

These should work for you. If you need them holler.

 

Either one, you'll be fine on a stock engine. If your guides have been milled, you may be better with the ones on the right ( thats what I run)

 

Well that’s exactly what they do, so I’ll keep’em. Keep an eye on them as well.
Thanks.

 

Thanks Noah. I’m going to run it with the umbrella type for now.