Valve seals ??

Does anyone on here use valve seals on their alky/nitro burning engines ?? Pulled my valve covers to lash the valves and found remains of valve seals laying in there, if they were to get lodged in the oil pick-up, it would be bad. If we can get away without using them, that would be the cheapest and easiest cure, I'd just remove whats left of 'em, and clean out the pan. Looking at the tattered remains flinging around the valve stems, we essentially aren't running any now, wanted second (or third) opinion before leaving them off. Thanks for all your help, Mike
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pitch'em... they're pointless on a blower deal

 

Thanks for the responses, I had posted this same question on another board also, and got the same answer, not sure why the seals fell apart, guess the fuel contamination of the oil finally ate them up. Glad I caught it before they got in the oil pickup. Thanks for your help, here is a pic of the "home" of those soon to be removed valve seals:

 

First, i have a question's, are you using perfict circel seals? and second Where's the blower? P/S how do you race your car without helmet bars?

 

Great questions, answer them in order: comp cams seals, A/Fuel funny car, been running at unsanctioned track for 4 years (Lakeland), but have joined the "Southern Classic Funny Cars" group and need to add helmet bars and recertify the chassis. We run as A/Fuel altered too, here is pic of us "playing" in my sponsor's parking lot:

 

Here is a side view wearing the altered body/wing:

 

Never seen them seals, I'm sure every one assumed you had a blower, any way you need seals for an injected motor a blown motor always has presure in the ports so oil seals are not needed, if the seals are breaking most likley they don't have enough clearance between the top of the seal and the bottom of the spring retaner, so the valve gides will have to be cut down some more you need about .080 thos. clearance, with the seal instaled.

 

Good point Eli, Thanks. Those seals have been in there for 2 seasons, and just started coming apart, we run .100 longer than stock valves, haven't changed anything recently, I'm in there every event lashing valves and just saw these pieces for the first time yesterday, clearance should not be a problem (think it would have happened long time ago if it was) but maybe fuel contamination of the oil ?? Probably try different brand if I need to run them at all, judging by whats left (on valve stem) we aren't running any now LOL, and not having any problems with oil control. Trying to post a short vid of our driveway warm-up/leak check, before we got rained out this past Saturday, not had any luck, see if it'll play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pol7oicbxHg

 

Thats a pretty cool ride, would look a little better with a blower and a tall carbon fiber hat stickin out behind your head though!! Also, checked out the video, just food for thought, you did the burnout without a helmet or a drivers suit?? I know it was just a little burst for the camera but arn't those tree's in front of you? and I know a throttles never stuck open?!? and nothing bad could happen?!? but it seems these are the kinda deals that get your next video on the 5 o'clock news, you in a coma and a self proclamed media experts on our sport telling everyone how dangerouse drag racing is?? Just my 2 cents!!
Be Safe!!!
Thanks,
Kent

 

You couldn't be more right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfVX71YqPuQ

I wonder what the hell he was thinking. He even says in the video "I've seen people die at the track".

 

You're screwing up the airflow and efficency of the wing mounting it so low to the rollcage!

 

Nitrohawk, the wing has NO downforce (attack angle) the sides (sail panels) and shark fin are for straight line stability only. Drove it with and without wing, handles better with it, also we don't run the wing with the Corvette body on it.
G FORCE JUNKIE and WJ Birmingham, I agree, looking at video, its pretty risky, those trees are not as close as they appear, but still, with a stuck throttle, be there all too quickly Started off as "scuff the grit off the tires" and turned into a couple medium burnouts, but I'll be more careful, I always worried more about the spectators, than myself (they usually come out of the woodwork, when I fire it up) and I make them stay all on one side of driveway, so I have a place to point it away from them if... Thanks, Mike (wearing the helmet/firesuit from now on )

 

even with no angle of attack an aerofoil will make downforce, being mounted on some struts away from the rollcage would create more downforce more efficiently

 

MotorPsycho,
That wing is not really an "aerofoil" as it is completely flat 1/4" aluminum, mostly wanted the big side panels, that cast iron BBC weighs enough that we don't need any extra downforce, switching to the Vette body now, we'll be out in December with it, testing at Lakeland (LMP) and getting ready to run with the "Southern Classic Funny Cars" group, here is a recent pic w/ Vette body: