After 3000 miles my AV8 is leaking like a sieve. I've seen those one piece front seals and before I tear into it over the winter I'm wondering if any of you have had any experience with these as opposed to the conventional rope seals.
I have two 8ba av8's, both with Reds Headers lip seals and have had 0 problems with them. I do use the thin stainless sleeves they sell to cover the spiral oil grooves on the cranshaft pulley. Vergil
Can you post a photo of the AV8? I am just having my 59A assembled and was planning to use the rope seal as I have read they work well, maybe that move should be reconsidered.
I've been running them for 11 years in a daily driver 48 pickup. There are two styles I'm aware of - the simple seal from Red's and the other that I'm more familiar with - it has an aluminum shell that encases the seal and is machined to completely fill the rope cavity. I smeared a little RTV on the shell and dropped it in and have had no leaks. A lot more expensive than the bare seal, but I think it was worth it.
Who sells this style? If anyone has pictures of these seals, please post them. This is good info for future reference.
Thanks for the replies. I've seen them from many aftermarket suppliers but don't want to do this twice. What makes the ones from a particular supplier better than another? Are they the best way to go? I have to replace the crank pulley as well so this isn't a stretch if it's worthwhile.
Youll find the that the lip seal sold by flathead vendors is a standard size available at any bearing shop.. The problem is that it is actually slightly too big for the cavity which isnt actually sized to a standard seal size, and the cavity also tends to not be totally round,once you compress the pan gasket. What I have found is that as you tighten the sump down, it actually distorts the seal slightly oval.. and then it leaks. for this reason, I have gone back to rope seals. The last two engines I have done with rope seals leak less from the front than my car, which has the rubber lip seal. Make of this what you will.