How to secure a lower output shaft engine seal, after it's installed??

[etyrnal]

Dear people smart enough (and or stoopid enough) to repair you own small engines, such as riding mowers:

if you replaced the lower output shaft (engine) oil seal, which had previously fallen out, and a new one has already been installed, is there a safe way to sort of "glue' the new one in place well enough that it won't just slip out again in the future due to unexplained mysteries of the small engine murphy's-law-universe, BUT in a way where it can be removed reasonably easily to install a future replacement if needed?

I mean can a blob of RTV, or gasket maker be put on the edge of it to sort of secure it? Or will that make replacing it in the future a nightmare -- akin to putting sardine oil on your shoe whilst in a tiger cage?

:confused3:

 

[Leejohn]

use blue lock tight

 

[etyrnal]

use blue lock tight

How do i get blue loctite off next time i need to replace a seal? Since this is on the bottom of the motor, what's the best way to apply this considering i will be working against gravity?

 

[ericm979]

Apply it to the seal before you install it. The surfaces need to be clean and oil free for the thread locker to be effective. I do a final wipedown with acetone to get off any remnants of solvents used to remove the oil.

LocTite makes a lot of compounds. The blue medium strength thread locker will do something in this situation but there are other LocTite compounds that are actually made for this type of problem and would be more effective.

 

[oldnslo]

If rubber coated seal locktite will not help. I have used permatex form-a-gasket on seal OD before installation with good success.

 

[etyrnal]

i DO appreciate everyone's input. I'd like to politely point out the part everyone appears to gloss over:

" and a new one has already been installed"

I am fully appreciative of doing it right in the first place, but these aren't those circumstances.

So, can i clean the exposed surface of the bearing, the immediately neighboring engine case, and make three evenly spaced blobs of high temp outdoor RTV to kind of create small -RTV retaining 'welds' between the edge of the metal bearing seal hole's edge, and the rubber on the seal to create 'retainers'?

Like a blob at 12 o'clock, 4 o'clock, and 8 o'clock?

The previous seal literally just fell out... after 500Hrs of moving... no visible signs of damage, wear, deformation. Just dropped out.

 

[ericm979]

RTV glopped on the outside won't really do anything. At this point I'd just run it and hope that the new seal is better than the old one.

Is it possible that there is excess crankcase pressure building up? Usually the first sign is the dip stick popping out but that only happens with push in type dip sticks and if they're a loose fit. Might be worth checking whatever they're using for a crankcase breather.

 

[boomer1025]

If rubber coated seal locktite will not help. I have used permatex form-a-gasket on seal OD before installation with good success.

:thumbsup:

 

[RoyKing]

Loctite makes a bushing retainer, use this next time

 

[RandyT]

RTV glopped on the outside won't really do anything. At this point I'd just run it and hope that the new seal is better than the old one.

Is it possible that there is excess crankcase pressure building up? Usually the first sign is the dip stick popping out but that only happens with push in type dip sticks and if they're a loose fit. Might be worth checking whatever they're using for a crankcase breather.

Totally agree, if the seal is pushing out there is pressure building some place, or there is a problem with the machining of the seal surface causing a loose fit. that seal should never come out on its own. Even the seals that I have pushed in with my fingers don't come back out without other forces acting on them.