Oil seals are made from multiple compounds and materials. Some of the oldest, still in use today, are leather and felt compounds. The trend in mass production, however, has seen a move towards synthetic rubber or elastomers. Nitrile is by far the most popular material but developments in PTFE have created a surge of interest in buyers needing seals for high-speed shaft rotation applications. Viton is taking over from the polyacrylic and silicone, as it works better in high-temperature applications and has a high-resistance to abrasion and harmful chemicals.
On most cars you need not remove the engine to get at the sump . But often you have to raise it slightly and wedge it on its mountings so that the sump moves clear of the front- suspension cross member.
Oil seals are found in a wide range of applications, in virtually every industrial sector. It is essential to select the correct oil seal so that the application in which it is used can run efficiently, free of leaks or other issues. In this blog, we explain which factors you should pay attention to when selecting the best oil seal for your application.
Refit the rocker or cam cover, aligning its fixing holes with those on the head. Check that the gasket edge aligns with the cover flange all round, and is not distorted. If necessary, adjust it gently with tweezers or long-nosed pliers. Tighten bolts evenly to just compress the gasket.