Louie928

My "new" engine has been sitting on the stand for about a year while I finished the rest of the car. I noticed a small oil drip spot appear on the floor and it was coming from the timing belt tensioner bolt. I had sealed the threads and around the lock nut with Permatex teflon threads sealer (from a tube, not tape) when I installed it, but evidently that wasn't good enough. It seeps about a drop or two a week. While that isn't too bad, the thread sealer will be destroyed when the tensioner is adjusted as would any sealer applied to the threads. I recalled a re-useable sealing washer I had used 25 years ago for a similar application in the hydraulic system of my airplane. It worked perfectly and that sealed the bolt threads under about 1100 psi. I have been trying without success to find the same type of sealing washer for the tensioner adjusting bolt.

The description of the seal would be like a steel washer with an "O" ring bonded to the inside very similar to the "Seal-O-Stat" seals that are available for sealing under bolt heads. The difference is that the inside of the O ring wasn't rounded, but had a sharp "V" cross section which went into the grooves of the thread. I'd sure appreciate any information of where to obtain this type of sealing washer. Here is a drawing to help illustrate what the cross section looks like.
https://rennlist.com/forums/attachme...d=103332&stc=1
Seals.jpg

borland

What your looking for is an overkill. The tensioner adjustment bolt/locknut are only static pressure.

Since the pipe dope didn't work. Try backing out the adjustment screw two full turns and coat the screw with this product, which is non hardening and can be used as a thread sealant:

http://www.permatex.com/products/aut...et_Sealant.htm

data sheet:
http://www.permatex.com/documents/td...tive/80938.pdf

It worked for me.

Shane

Louie what size is the bolt? I have the exact same washer for use with sealing cylinder liner studs on Fairbanks Morse OP engines. I have some floating around let me check the size.

Louie928

Shane,
Your's are likely a bit larger. The bolt is 10mm, approx 3/8". If I could find the manufacturer, that would be a step forward.

Louie928

I'll try that as a last resort. I've used so many different thread sealers and none really worked well, especially after the first adjustment. I wanted to use a more permanent, clean, no fuss, sealing method.

Shane

Louie they are 3/8" washers! You want some?

Here is a pic:

Bill Ball

The factory used what looks like Blue Loctite, although maybe a bit heavier consistency. I just worked on an 86 that had never had the tensioner serviced, and the all of the original oil was still in there! Wonder what that goop is? Does the WSM specify anything?

Louie928

That's about as perfect as I could ever hope for. It might be a little tight, but will probably work fine.

If you could send 2 or 3, that should last me for a while.

Louis Ott
2485 Dry Creek Rd.
Mosier, OR 97040

Thanks.

Shane

Louie I have six of these bad boys sitting here with your name on them. PM me your address and I slide 'em in to an envolope for you and mail 'em today. I put my ruler to them and they are indeed 10mm/ 3/8".



I'll probably bring some extras down with me when I go on vacation so thanks for the idea!

Shane

LOL, Ok in the mail they go!!

Louie928

Alright Shane!! Thanks again.

Bill Ball

Let us know how it works Louie and if anyone finds a source for then other than Shane's workbench!

G Man

I would think teflon tape would work to seal the threads also.

Bill Ball

Would one of these be it? They look far differnt from Shane's.

http://www.apmhexseal.com/selfseal/s...locwashers.htm

Spec sheet: http://www.apmhexseal.com/selfseal/s...oc_washers.pdf

http://www.gaynorindustries.com/HighSSW.htm

PorKen

Louie,

Why fix that leak, when you could figure out a new sprung/dampened tensioner solution?
...

I used yellow thread tape (gas line) and it has worked fine.