Number Eight Bearing Seal Sitting proud

[gtc]

After installing an Elring seal in my new Rauch & Spiegel #8 Bearing, the seal is sitting about 1mm proud of the face of the bearing. Will this cause a problem? Should it be flush? It won't go in any further without using a press.

I was able to install a Reinz seal flush in my original bearing with no trouble (before deciding to replace both just to be safe).

I did install the Elring seal dry (well, lightly moistened with rubbing alcohol), whereas I used Curil T on the Reinz seal which might have helped it slide in.

[gtc]

Here's a photo:

[Mitch1]

I think mine looked the same. Not leaking.

[john walker's workshop]

Normal.

[gtc]

Thanks, guys, that's good to hear.

[KTL]

Next time use some water or spit or something that won't evaporate as fast as alcohol. "Temporary" lubricant like these lets the seal slide in a bit easier to avoid potentially tearing the rubber coating.

Also a good idea to put a few dabs of sticky grease on the garter spring behind the seal. Helps avoid the spring falling off when the seal is placed onto crankshaft snout.

[gtc]

Umm.... there's a spring back there?
It went in pretty easily. Not too worried about it having torn.

[Walt Fricke]

The seals on both ends of the crank have a circular coil spring which fits into a groove on the backside of the sealing lip. Holds tension on the lip.

I've not had a problem with it coming off, but doubtless Kevin speaks from experience. If something can go wrong, at some point it will.

[KTL]

The garter spring stays in place when the seal is evenly pressed in. But sometimes when people whack the seal in place with alternating blows it can hop off the seal. Better to be safe than sorry and it doesn't take much effort at all to put a few blobs of grease on the spring?

[gtc]

Ok, after taking a close look, i do see the springs in the seals.

One more question... do you guys install the flywheel seal on the crank before putting the crank in the case, like Wayne suggests in his book, or do you install it afterwards?

[KTL]

Afterwards. Setting the case halve in your hands down onto the receiving halve takes some coaxing and I don't like the idea of the flywheel seal being one more obstruction to getting the case halves nicely kissed together.

[gtc]

Thanks, that makes sense.

[Walt Fricke]

The guy who taught me to assemble these motors favored leaving off the seals on each end also. His rationale was that they produced a bit of resistance to crank rotation, and he wanted to be able to verify that the crank was free as a bird after he had put the halves together, and even more after torqueing things down.

Kevin's approach makes a bit more sense, as I don't think you could tell when rotating the crank by hand whether there were seals in place or not. Besides, my guru didn't apply his approach to the #8. I hate installing seals, so doing the #8 on the bench is an easy decision. But I continue to leave off the #1.

[KTL]

I got these seal press tools in a lot of tools for a nice price. They work great but are certainly not an absolute must to get the seals installed right.

[Mitch1]

I used the arbor to. Worked great.

[KTL]

The big one works great for sure. It's one of those tools where you say, "Wow. Total overkill but it sure does work good."

[cgarr]

^ so you got that engine back together?

[KTL]

Originally Posted by cgarr

^ so you got that engine back together?

Nope

[silver911rdb]

So what's the deal with these Rauch & Spiegel #8 bearings. Are they better than the oem bearings? I was just working on my rebuild shopping list and noticed this offering. I never heard of them before and only found this thread related to them. Wondering if I should consider them for my engine rebuild. It's a 3.4L track engine.

[afterburn 549]

Graham
When did you start this?
This for your Targa?
What happened?