Stay away from DNJ Cam seals

[tompumped]

Not too long ago I bought a DNJ head set and used their cam seals. I even installed them with the cam caps off and all three leaked on the id of the seal. I put electrical tape on the camshafts and used RTV.

I just replaced them with National 1213n. I ordered the seals from rock auto and they gave the option of private label package. I ordered 3 private label and 3 regular because they were so cheap.

The private label were made in brazil? and the seals were green painted, plus the lips were slightly different. The regular ones were made in the usa. I have used the ones made in the usa in the past with good luck.

I ended up using one of the green ones in the CID position, I guess i'll find out which ones are better.

 

[SHOtimer]

It has been long known that the Ford ones are the best. www.shosource.com sells them.

I installed Ford cam seals in my SHO 90k ago, still no leaks.

What do you mean electrical tape on the camshafts?

Doug

 

[tompumped]

I know that ford are the best. I just thought it would take longer through shosource. When I get it in my head to fix something I want it done now. I needed the car also.

I learned on here to put electrical tape on the edges of the camshafts to cover the sharp edges. I don't have the rotunda seal expander. Someone else also taught me to pack the rear of the seal with grease to reduce the likelihood of the spring coming off from whacking it in place. IDK if it matters but I do it.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

I even installed them with the cam caps off

So, you installed the seals totally incorrectly and blame it on the seal and not the installer?

I personally have no experience with this brand of seal, but I certainly wouldn't base my decision to use them or not on a defective installation.

 

[kevinspann]

Also, if anyone buys the Gates timing belt kit with new tensioner a and cam seals, the cam seals are hilariously wrong. It looks like they used a crank seal as a basis for making theirs.

 

[msteiny]

I too bought a DNJ gasket kit from Rock Auto. However I still used National cam seals instead of the ones that came in the kit. To me they looked cheesy and I just didnt trust them. Thank you for confirming my suspicions Tom. 4000 miles on rebuilt engine, no cam seal leaks (yet) with Nationals.

 

[tompumped]

So, you installed the seals totally incorrectly and blame it on the seal and not the installer?

I personally have no experience with this brand of seal, but I certainly wouldn't base my decision to use them or not on a defective installation.

So maybe you can explain to me how by doing so I messed up the id of the seal. When i installed the cams i said why not install the seals, ive never done it that way.

Go ahead and use them, in fact ill buy them for you as long as you promise to install them correctly.

I was just trying to save someone a headache. I thought there would be lass chance of a problem doing it this way, I wouldnt go through the trouble of taking the caps off like some do.

 

[Phoenix]

You can also buy them directly from ford , these cam seals. they are about 10$ a pop.

I too ,tasted the lets cut corners a bit , it will be fine and then you have to re-do it again.

It usually takes only one time , we learn pretty quickly when it comes time to do all this crap twice...specially if its a big job.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

So maybe you can explain to me how by doing so I messed up the id of the seal. When i installed the cams i said why not install the seals, ive never done it that way.

You put the seals in before installing the caps. If each seal wasn't perfectly perpendicular to the cam when you tightened down the cap, it could have deformed the shape of the seal enough to cause the leak. It wouldn't take much, just a hair, but making a round seal an ellipse by installing it incorrectly and then getting mad at the seal or the manufacturer because it leaked is stupid.

Why re-invent the wheel?

 

[tompumped]

It was the first time I did it and I wont be doing it again. Idk if it matters, but I held them in place with a pvc coupling while I tightened the caps. I also remember pushing them down to get it square in the head.

If I didn't push them down then I could see this happening there was a noticable gap. It still could've been my fault but I wouldn't use them again.