I just took the cylinder head from my 1960 MK2 3.8L to a machine shop to be rebuilt and the machinist asked my if I had purchased the head gasket set for the engine. I told him I had the complete engine gasket set. He told me he would need the valve seals from the kit when he was ready to reassemble the head. When I got home I looked at the gasket set and see no valve seals. Looking at the parts manual for my engine (LA4016-8), I see no seals as part of the valve system. I believe I read somewhere in the Forum that later heads have the seals and the early heads can be upgraded to include seals with a few part changes. Has anyone had experience with upgrading the early heads to include valve seals and is it really necessary for an engine that will not be used on a regular basis to have the seals installed? Perhaps just new guides and valves will be sufficient. Any and all thoughts, comments, suggestions or ideas will be appreciated.

 

It makes sense to fit them, part no EBC3531 original part no C34949 for the 6 only a few quid.

It is very common on the Jag heads for the valve guides to go oval, and they should be replaced, if the machine shop is changing the guides, the new guides will have the groove to fit the seals, so all you need is the seals themselves.

They don't come with the gasket set so you will need to get them from SNG or somewhere.