The right Cam Seals?

[SASHO91]

I've searched and I have searched(plus i've tried most of them)..... But it seems to me that no one makes the proper cam seals anymore. Either they are too small, too big, or made without a rubber coating etc..

The Timken seals, which are listed as wheel seals for another vehical, that I was refered to are leaking and have been since about 500miles after the install.

The FORD OEM seals, seem to be a hit a miss. More than half of the responses that come back about FORD seals say that they also leak a few hundred miles after install.

Then there are the Timken seals that ARE listed for the SHO. Those just leak....

So what's a SHOwner supposed to do?

 

[89SHOMAN666]

I have used the "BCA/NATIONAL Part # 1213N" from Rockauto on 4 of my cars without issue. I never did a comparison to the stock seal however my 92 has been leak free with them for 50k miles.

Hope that helps.

 

[SASHO91]

Those are the current seals that are leaking.. Forgot to post those.

EDIT: that's the second set actually....

 

[itwonder]

My experience at the 180K service: The seals from the Felpro TCS45870 kit worked in the front two positions. The rear one, installed without RTV sealant around the perimeter, leaked. I had not used sealant because none had ever been used in the past. The leaking seal was replaced with a Ford E9DZ-6700-A seal, which is a Japanese made seal. It went about 1000 miles before it leaked because the center rubber was distorted. It apparently had not stayed in position in the housing. It was replaced with another Ford seal but with RTV sealant applied around the outside perimeter. That actually took two because I tossed the first one after it went crooked on me during installation. Success. The next 60k I may try the National BCA 1213N seals, with sealant around the perimeter.

My theory: Some seals are damaged during installation if they are allowed to go crooked as they are being pushed into place. The rear one is worst because the seal does not have a chance to get fully onto the cam before it starts into its housing. Also, the housing that retains these seals is a two piece affair, with perhaps more machining variation than one would like. RTV seals any gaps and glues the seal in place. On my car, the rear seal does fit more loosely than the front two.

 

[89SHOMAN666]

I would have to agree with itwonder, whenever I have had a cam seal issue, it was normally caused by an assembly problem. It is just a very irritating part to have to rip back apart to repair.

 

[SASHO91]

I can assure you that they were installed properly. The first set was installed with the engine out of the car. The second set went in with it in, however, I used the proper installation tool(which was used correctly).

Maybe i'm just having a bad luck with getting bad/wrong seals?

I may grab another set of the 1213N's and try them again. If they fail once more, I'll switch to the FORD OEM seals.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Sounds to me like you have a problem with the seal mating surfaces on the heads/caps, or nicks or wear in the cams allowing oil to leak through.

I have installed hundreds of the National 1213N seals without ever having a single one leak. I've actually found that they last longer than the OE Ford seals.

There is no way that so many different seals would leak on you. It has to be something on the engine side of things.

 

[SASHO91]

Yeah, that's the only thing I can think of. I know that the cams are not scratched etc... But that leaves the head/cam caps...

Oh well, I picked up another set of the 1213N's a few minutes ago. We'll see how it goes.

 

[pccorrig1]

I have a set of used heads on my workbench, and notice a slight grove worn onto the cams at a point where the cam seal makes contact. I suspect this is a point for leakage when new seals are installed.

The National 1213N appear to me to be a better quality than the originals.

I have my fingers crossed, and it might take me another week or to to get it all back together.

 

[SHOGUN88]

The ford seals work great but you jut have to remember to rtv seal them around the edges so they stay in place.

 

[tompumped]

With the timken seals you are supposed to use Anaerobic sealant on the outside. It's like 18 dollars a tube at napa. I did this when I installed mine and it's been 500 miles so far with no leaks. I was worried that I scratched the rear cam when trying to remove the old seal but so far so good. If it leaks I was going to sleeve it with the speedi sleeve repair kit.

 

[AREA 91]

I alway's use RTV on the outer diameter of the seal. I never had one leak, .......yet (finger's crossed).

 

[boat]

This is good info to know. I have cam seal replacement coming into my future. All 3 are leaking in mine. Thanks to all.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

With the timken seals you are supposed to use Anaerobic sealant on the outside. It's like 18 dollars a tube at napa. I did this when I installed mine and it's been 500 miles so far with no leaks. I was worried that I scratched the rear cam when trying to remove the old seal but so far so good. If it leaks I was going to sleeve it with the speedi sleeve repair kit.

Only if the seals have bare metal on the OD. If they are red, they are already coated in anaerobic.

 

[tompumped]

I didn't know that some came with sealant on them. The timken ones I used were bare metal.

 

[boat]

When I used the KOYO's from RCM they were had a metal casing on the outside. After 1100 miles, they were leaking. Didn't know about the anerobic sealant. oops!

 

[cub1947]

Cam seals

Just did mine as part of 60K, it is a PITA, but removing the end cam cap is by far the best way to change the back one. It is also worth it to remove the mount for the cam sensor and the trigger,replace the phillips heads with socket heads. That way there is no chance of cutting the seal on the trigger. Mine was loose in the housing, and leaking inside and out, used gray silicone on all three on the outside, and as important grease the insde well. I have the installer tool to push them in square and it or a facsimile is well worth it. One caution replacing the front two, the pins that locate the sprocket to the cam fall out and ARE required, You can use a 3/16" x 1/2" roll pin but you have to have something there, the bolts have a reduced diameter and look like they will work loose without the locator.

 

[itwonder]

That's a good point. The factory applied gray RTV will not last forever. I thinks it's a good idea to redo those caps, not every 60K, but maybe every 2nd or 3rd.

 

[SASHO91]

I pulled the caps to do my seals, so I (obviously) resealed mine. I think the rear was leaking alittle.

I have not ran the car yet, but I don't think I will have any problems with the 1213N seals now.