REFLECTOR: Franklin seal leak

[mike deeter]

John,

Notwithstanding Steve's comments (undoubtedly correct)
I did try prying the seal out of its seat and applying
the sealant.  It's a real pain to try to get a new
seal over the prop flange.  I can't figure out how
you'd do it.  Also, you have a leak now; it probably
won't get worse if you remove the seal, clean it up
and apply sealant.  You'll probably be no worse off. 
I was able to pry the seal out and work w/ it w/ no
visible damage.

Alternatively, you could try my gasket fix.  It wasn't
hard and I don't see a downside, even if it shouldn't
be necessary.

I forgot to check on the sealant I used.  I'll check
and get back to you.

Mike

 
--- Scott Derrick <scott at tnstaafl.net> wrote:

> If its like any other crank shaft seal I've seen its
> not possible and 
> highly discouraged to reuse seal that has been
> removed.
> 
> Your just asking for leak.
> 
> Scott
> 
> John Dibble wrote:
> 
> >Mike, Steve,
> >Today I few 1/2 hour to get my prop balanced.  The
> seal didn't leak a bit.  The
> >procedure took to long and my oil got overheated,
> and it started leaking again.  I'm
> >going to try the sealant.  I'd prefer not to remove
> the seal and risk damaging it.
> >How do you remove the seal without damage?  Do you
> think applying sealant to the back
> >side only will help?
> >
> >John
> >
> >Mike Deeter wrote:
> >
> >  
> >
> >>John:
> >>
> >>I did remove the seal to look at it and found that
> the sealant used was
> >>dried up.  I cleaned the seal and casing surface. 
> Then I gooped up
> >>(it's a standard industry technical term) the
> outer surface of the seal,
> >>plopped it back in, and smeared the outside of the
> seal in an attempt to
> >>make sure there was unbroken sealant all the way
> around.  I also
> >>fabricated a gasket from gasket material I bought
> at Tractor Supply
> >>which closes off the same gap.  It has no effect
> on the seal between the
> >>inner surface of the seal and the crankshaft.  I
> can't remember what the
> >>sealant was but I'll check in a few hours when I'm
> at the hangar and get
> >>back to you.  In any case, it was a common
> automotive form-a-gasket type
> >>sealant.  It wasn't cement, though.
> >>
> >>Mike
> >>
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org
> [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
> >>Behalf Of John Dibble
> >>Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2005 11:27 AM
> >>To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
> >>Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Franklin seal leak
> >>
> >>I wondered about that.  When I replaced the seal,
> the shop didn't have
> >>the special
> >>cement that the instructions specified, so I used
> common automotive
> >>cement.  Since it
> >>lasted 28 hours, I figured the cement wasn't an
> issue and I hadn't
> >>checked because I
> >>have to remove the pickup for the Rose EI, but I
> guess I'll have to
> >>check.  What type
> >>of cement did you use?  Do I understand correctly
> that you didn't remove
> >>the seal,
> >>just put the cement on the back side?
> >>
> >>John
> >>
> >>mike deeter wrote:
> >>
> >>    
> >>
> >>>All:
> >>>
> >>>I had significant leakage out of my crankshaft
> seal
> >>>and found that it was leaking out around the
> outside
> >>>of the seal, i.e., between the engine casing and
> the
> >>>outer surface of the seal, NOT between the shaft
> and
> >>>the inner surface of the seal.  I did two things:
> >>>fabricated a gasket to cover the above-mentioned
> area,
> >>>and gooped it w/ sealant there as well.  That
> seemed
> >>>to fix the problem.
> >>>
> >>>I actually think the gasket was overkill; in the
> >>>directions for changing the seal, I think (my
> failing
> >>>memory at play here) it says to apply some
> sealant
> >>>where I mentioned above.  Mine had evidence it
> came
> >>>that way but it was all dried up.  I changed the
> seal
> >>>but, frankly, it didn't look any the worse for
> wear
> >>>and I probably just needed to add the sealant.
> >>>
> >>>Try the sealant first.  It's easy and you can try
> the
> >>>gasket if that doesn't work.
> >>>
> >>>Mike
> >>>
> >>>--- John Dibble <aminetech at bluefrog.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>      
> >>>
> >>>>Thanks Steve.  That's an interesting point about
> oil
> >>>>temp.  Mine normally run 92-98 C
> >>>>(198-208F).  When I replaced the seal there was
> a
> >>>>lot of dark brown deposit on the
> >>>>shaft and I wonder if this abraded the seal and
> made
> >>>>it start leaking.  I assume the
> >>>>deposit came from degradation of the oil,
> perhaps
> >>>>due to a high temp.  What are your
> >>>>oil temps (before and now)?
> >>>>When I bought my Velocity it had 205 hours and
> the
> >>>>seal was not leaking.  I flew it for
> >>>>about 100 hours before the seal began leaking. 
> I
> >>>>wonder if one's operating habits
> >>>>(MAP, rpm, and amount of leaning) have any
> impact.
> >>>>Do you balance the prop?
> >>>>
> >>>>Steve wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>        
> >>>>
> >>>>>My Franklin has only 65 hrs on it. I have
> already
> >>>>>          
> >>>>>
> >>>>replaced the
> >>>>        
> >>>>
> >>>>>crankshaft seal due to it leaking oil. It still
> >>>>>          
> >>>>>
> >>>>leaked with a new seal.
> >>>>        
> >>>>
> >>>>>I have also been working on getting my oil temp
> >>>>>          
> >>>>>
> >>>>down  ... with some
> >>>>        
> >>>>
> >>>>>success. Since the oil temps came down, the oil
> >>>>>          
> >>>>>
> >>>>leaking from the
> >>>>        
> >>>>
> >>>>>crankshaft seal stopped leaking., so maybe its
> a
> >>>>>          
> >>>>>
> >>>>temperature related
> >>>>        
> >>>>
> >>>>>thing ??
> >>>>>
> >>>>>Pure coincidence, I happened to check for any
> play
> >>>>>          
> >>>>>
> >>>>in the crankshaft
> >>>>        
> >>>>
> >>>>>last week and was surprised to find a little
> play
> >>>>>          
> >>>>>
> >>>>up and down but none
> >>>>        
> >>>>
> >>>>>from side to side. I am still pondering this
> when
> 
=== message truncated ===


*******************************************
Mike Deeter
N2011 Test Pilot
iguanamagic at yahoo.com
http://iguanamagic.siegesmund.org
*******************************************