Greets!
I have a proposal to consider when replacing the famous main seal. And a couple of questions.
I just ruined one piece main seal ($44 + shipping) because it was late at night and thought hammering it in with a wooden tool would work. Never mind, when it was in, I discovered that on one side the seal was too far inside. I then installed the clutch housing, filled in the old oil, topped it to make sure is enough to cause some pressure and with the engine lowered at an angle waited one night. Needless to say, the next day I found the oil leaking. Ergo, one brand new seal busted.
I found myself awake at 5am trying to google the mysterious BMW 11 1 630 tool and what could be used instead, thought about using M20 nuts welded together over a disk with a hole in the middle and what not and then it dawned on me that I already have the tools. Not giving away, if you like riddles pause here, look at the picture before reading on.
I practiced this with the spent seals (I have 2 now) and it really works. One has to only push the new seal the right way over the housing spline shaft, then screw in the housing (w/o the O-ring and the "stop disc" in place). The housing will push on the seal evenly and the pressure can be controlled. The housing cannot push the seal too far in. For the last millimeter on the way in, the housing can be taken out and the spent seal can be used in reversed position (outer lips facing out) in between the housing and the new seal to GENTLY work in the new seal until flush. Of course, checking again and again is necessary and only little thrusts at a time are allowed.
Questions:
1. Did I just reinvent the wheel? (I searched the forum for answers first)
2. Can inserting the housing spline shaft into the new seal where it belongs, then take it out again, then put it back erode/damage the inner Teflon lip? (it sounds such a sensitive area :grin
3. Can the "fine tuning" step be skipped and the installation done directly including the "stop disc" (the plastic disc between the housing and the seal)?
At 3. the idea is that the "stop disc" is actually designed to "rub" against the seal surface all the time.
I have a proposal to consider when replacing the famous main seal. And a couple of questions.
I just ruined one piece main seal ($44 + shipping) because it was late at night and thought hammering it in with a wooden tool would work. Never mind, when it was in, I discovered that on one side the seal was too far inside. I then installed the clutch housing, filled in the old oil, topped it to make sure is enough to cause some pressure and with the engine lowered at an angle waited one night. Needless to say, the next day I found the oil leaking. Ergo, one brand new seal busted.
I found myself awake at 5am trying to google the mysterious BMW 11 1 630 tool and what could be used instead, thought about using M20 nuts welded together over a disk with a hole in the middle and what not and then it dawned on me that I already have the tools. Not giving away, if you like riddles pause here, look at the picture before reading on.
I practiced this with the spent seals (I have 2 now) and it really works. One has to only push the new seal the right way over the housing spline shaft, then screw in the housing (w/o the O-ring and the "stop disc" in place). The housing will push on the seal evenly and the pressure can be controlled. The housing cannot push the seal too far in. For the last millimeter on the way in, the housing can be taken out and the spent seal can be used in reversed position (outer lips facing out) in between the housing and the new seal to GENTLY work in the new seal until flush. Of course, checking again and again is necessary and only little thrusts at a time are allowed.
Questions:
1. Did I just reinvent the wheel? (I searched the forum for answers first)
2. Can inserting the housing spline shaft into the new seal where it belongs, then take it out again, then put it back erode/damage the inner Teflon lip? (it sounds such a sensitive area :grin
3. Can the "fine tuning" step be skipped and the installation done directly including the "stop disc" (the plastic disc between the housing and the seal)?
At 3. the idea is that the "stop disc" is actually designed to "rub" against the seal surface all the time.