2LZ

'96 LT1/auto.
Changed the water pump and Opti seals in the timing cover while I was in there. Lubed both on the inner lips.
Took it back apart to chase the crank seal and put the Mitsu sensor in my new Opti. Changed the Opti seal again. This time I put it in dry because of the little info sheet that came with the FelPro set. Now it leaks.
I've searched all over the web and found about 50/50 lube/no lube.
Do you lube the inner lip of the Opti seal or not? Logic would dictate that if it didn't leak with lube, do that.
I'd like a consensus if possible.

PatternDayTrader

Sounds like a good idea to me.

C409

..... I always pre-lube seals and the shafts that go through them with white lithium grease .....

jpipx

84 4+3

Unless it says not to I lube pretty much everything. There may have also been one or two instances where lube caused swelling... not on this platform, I forget what it was. Jacks lube I use a lot on o-rings, its pretty nasty stuff but does work great. Otherwise it's whatever is close...

2LZ

Here's the instruction sheet that was in the FelPro box.
To me, it looks like NOT to lube the distributer shaft seal though at the bottom it says to lube all seals.
Opinions?

mrodoc

I lubed my 1994. It's never leaked.

mtwoolford

while those instructions could be a bit clearer (okay, a lot clearer), as I read them, lube the seals, sealing surfaces

JETS C3-C4

Here is a link to FelPro tech help. I would call them and see what they advise. If you did it dry as instructions they should warranty it.
http://www.felpro.com/contact-us.html

FisherJ00

With those types of seals I do not use any type of grease but just a very small amount of clean engine oil from a seal container and place a small amount on a dry lint free cloth and then wipe the surface very sparingly. It is not enough lubrication as not to interfere with the mating surface tensions and cause any swelling that I have encountered over the years of doing that technique. It is enough lubrication to ensure that the seal can be installed properly. The most important thing is patience and proper alignment when seating the seals over or sliding them across any surface. Keep anything that will touch the seal during installation as clean as possible and free of foreign materials.

Hope the info helps a little for the future and good luck!

~JF

2LZ

Ok folks, here's the scoop.


I installed it dry per the little info sheet. It leaked. I thought it was the cranks sensor (it was leaking also) so I put on a new o-ring, some rtv and reassembled. Still leaked.


I took it back apart again, changed the opti seal and applied a little engine oil to the seal. The car still leaked. I took it to a local shop to service the tranny and had the pan gasket changed. I figured it was the pan since everything else had been changed.


Put some miles on it and it STILL leaked. I went back to the shop and scored a little bottle of glow stuff. Drove it around, put it back on the ramps and took it down AGAIN. Hit it with a blacklight and confirmed that the damn opti seal was leaking again! I thought maybe I had a crack in the timing cover but no.


Took the new seal and greased the holy living crap out of it and reassembled. Put about 100 miles on it yesterday, no leak so far.
Moral of the story: Toss the little info sheet in the box and lube the crap out of it like all seals.
The upside? I can now get my opti off in about 5 nano seconds.

2LZ

Ok.... I give. Took the car to Big Trees state park last Saturday. Beautiful day out, took the top off the car. The wife and I, just blowing down the highway looking forward to seeing some massive Sequoias. Pulled into the parking lot and the guy in the Prius next to me gives me a fowl look. As soon as we parked, here comes the smell and smoke again.
I'm at my wits end with this thing. I know it's an old car. I realize that stuff will go wrong. I get that part. The more infuriating part is I've wrenched my entire life (like many here) and I'm clueless as to why it's leaking. I've always used FelPro gaskets and have batted 1000 with them to date.

I'v now put in three seals. one dry, one slightly lubed, one smothered in grease. No luck. It's leaked with both the old and new opti's so it can't be the new opti causing it and the part that contacts the seal is smooth all the way around.

I'm thinking of taking to the shop and throwing the credit card at them. "JUST FIX THE DAMN THING!"

Whaleman

This is not even close to normal. I would first suspect something with the opti that is tearing up the seal.

Whaleman

I would be very tempted to send your opti to the optidoctor and have him change the shaft and bearing. After three it has to be something else going on.

2LZ

When I bought the car from my brother (he bought a C6), it leaked. I checked it out and it had the usual old Chevy leaks. We've now changed everything with the exception of the rear main which is dry. Intake, senders, pan, crank sensor, the works. The worst part is it's the exact same leak that was a smoker when he owned it. It's extremely infuriating



The dye continues to show that it's the opti seal. Again, no cracks in the timing cover or the other two new seals. Also, the reason I did the crank sensor is because the famous leak runs down the right side of the motor, from the front and lands on the cat. I thought it may be where the dipstick tube goes into the block but the black light says otherwise.



The puzzling part is that it had the exact same leak with both the old, stock opti and the new AIP opti.
I've never had such a difficult time fixing something as simple as a leak.

Red 91

I feel for ya, is there any chance the seal bore is damaged? You could put a thin coat of rtv in the bore or on the outer edge of the seal. Sometimes it is easy to miss flaws, cracks, ect. in our inspections, I would do it again and srutineer it to death. No one else is do as good of a job as you. Good Luck!

jmgtp

mikem350

Or test fit the opti on a new seal BEFORE install?

I hate to bring this up, but are you sure its not the water pump seal? It could be dripping down....

2LZ

Definitely the Opti seal, according to our black light. I changed all three seals and the crank and w/p seals are dry.
I test fit two of the three opti seals prior to install and they fit nice and tight. You have to push the opti through it. Snug.

Maybe it is leaking around the outside of the seal? I haven't RTV'd any of them yet. It's such a mess when we tear it down that it could be it and maybe I think it's the seal lip itself leaking. The irritating part is it leaks a good amount, not just a drop here and there. One would think that if there was a crack in the cover or something like that it would be leaving a trail with the black light. I'm thinking of changing the whole damn timing cover.