When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Great pics! Seal direction and sequence are correct.
For what it's worth, I'm replacing the pesky philips head screws with hex pan head screws (M4 x 0.70 x 10 mm). Kudos to Atkins Rotary for the idea. They supply allen cap screws with their OMP rebuild kit.
Hi everyone
I found the black seals to replace the old ones, I forgot what type of rubber they are! My question is about what is the best grease to coat all the parts with?
One reply said "high temp grease", which is??? I have some moly grease, and some white lithium grease, which would perform better over time?
I am trying to do everything I can to prevent the 5th & 6th aux ports from sticking over time. During assembly is the only time that these parts will get lubricated, so I want to do the best I can.
I took two engines apart last year and on one of them the "C" washers were worn to pieces, and the other ones were only half the thickness of the groove in the shaft! The washers were in fine shape and the seals were all ruined. So, the order of assembly from outside to inside is: "C" washer in its groove on the shaft, round metal washer, then the rubber seal with the groove side towards the metal washer.
I am hoping that by using 1 oz. per gallon premix that these aux port components will stay functioning for many years.
Your input is appreciated, thanks!
I would assume that driving your car so the ports are opening every time you drive your car will keep them from getting stuck over time. I thought that these only freeze up from non use. Perhaps, I am wrong though.
I would assume that driving your car so the ports are opening every time you drive your car will keep them from getting stuck over time. I thought that these only freeze up from non use. Perhaps, I am wrong though.
I am thinking of a way to move the sleeves in their bores by pulling on a cable that will pivot the sleeves by pulling it.
This way you can see if the sleeves are moving freely, perhaps when you do your oil change.
Once you determine that the sleeves are not moving freely, then you can then remove the lower LIM to clean the sleeves and bore!
There is a process where you put white lithium grease on the actuator shaft, do a couple of top end runs and see if the shafts pivot.
I would rather pull my test cable to do the same thing.
The actuators do not put up a lot of resistance, so you should be able to just reach down and move the shaft by hand during a routine inspection. If you're struggling to do it by hand, more than likely exhaust backpressure (for S4s) or air pump pressure (for S5s) will not have the grunt to rotate the sleeves either
The sleeves reside in a very carbon-prone area that's usually wetted out by fuel from the secondary injectors, so yes, a large part of it is not running the car and letting the carbon lock it up
Great pics! Seal direction and sequence are correct.
For what it's worth, I'm replacing the pesky philips head screws with hex pan head screws (M4 x 0.70 x 10 mm). Kudos to Atkins Rotary for the idea. They supply allen cap screws with their OMP rebuild kit.
I ordered some SS bolts that use a 3mm Allen wrench, they fit very nicely!
No more stripped Phillips head screws for me! No Sir!
Now that I am looking closely at the shaft, I see that I have direct access to the c-clip from the opening in the attaching plate!
What do you think of adding a couple of drops of silicon oil to these areas? Part of routine maintenance.
I try anything to not have to remove the LIM again!
Last edited by gsmithrx7; Sep 14, 2024 at 02:16 PM.
Reason: add a comment
The actuators do not put up a lot of resistance, so you should be able to just reach down and move the shaft by hand during a routine inspection. If you're struggling to do it by hand, more than likely exhaust backpressure (for S4s) or air pump pressure (for S5s) will not have the grunt to rotate the sleeves either
The sleeves reside in a very carbon-prone area that's usually wetted out by fuel from the secondary injectors, so yes, a large part of it is not running the car and letting the carbon lock it up
Not only carbon buildup but varnish buildup also has a part in making the sleeves stick!
What do you think of adding a fuel system cleaner every month to the gas tank?
Not only carbon buildup but varnish buildup also has a part in making the sleeves stick!
What do you think of adding a fuel system cleaner every month to the gas tank?
I am curious about this too. I would assume that some cleaners would be to strong and might damage parts in a piston engine if used to often. Rotaries could be another ball of wax?
Hi everyone,
I coated all the pieces with silicon grease when installing them.
When I moved the actuators to open the ports I noticed that they did not fully return to the closed position when I released them!
I removed the actuators and polished the shafts to 8000 grit, there were still striations in the direction of movement along the shafts.
When reinstalled they did return to the closed position much better after adding silicon oil to them.
While I had the actuators removed, I manipulated the shafts back and forth between their stops and noticed a resistance about 2/3rds into the opening direction.
I take this as the point where the shafts normally stop in the open position. The final third of rotation never occurs!
I have installed new Atkins sleeves so I am pretty sure that the resistance is due to wear in the sleeve bore in the iron.
Hey guys so thankful for this thread as I have a horrendous vacc leak at my six port shaft seal. I was having trouble locating the right seal on Ali. Is this okay?
The size seems correct. However, it looks like the internal spring is not there. See the void in the rubber, it goes there. Maybe, I am just not seeing it right. I found mine from a state side seller. I can't remember where though.
The size seems correct. However, it looks like the internal spring is not there. See the void in the rubber, it goes there. Maybe, I am just not seeing it right. I found mine from a state side seller. I can't remember where though.
Yeah I couldn't either,I'm hoping we just can't see it because the seal is black🤞
The size seems correct. However, it looks like the internal spring is not there. See the void in the rubber, it goes there. Maybe, I am just not seeing it right. I found mine from a state side seller. I can't remember where though.
I understand about the internal spring; it is used on the e-shaft mail oil seals.
After taking apart three engines I never came across any springs that went into the groove on the seal we are concerned with.
These grooves in the seal allow the positive air pressure of the outside air to push into the groove, spreading the seal outwards to help seal to the bore and shaft.
There is no spring that seats in the groove.
As another example, the throttle shafts on the throttle body use seals that have all four surfaces grooved. I found them listed as X seals.
Again, you have positive outside air entering, and negative pressure on the inside due to the vacuum generated by the intake.
This allows more positive pressure to push against the two lips making for a better seal.
One other question,can this be replaced with out removing entire intake manifold? I just resemble with new gaskets only to find my vacuum leak is at the six port actuator..
No, you do not have to remove the LIM. These pictures here are pretty good for what you need to do. Also, Look very closely before you take anything apart. I saw smoke with a smoke test coming from the ACV area and thought the same. There is a very small hole on the ACV, by the looks of it, on purpose. I did check the diaphragms and all seemed well. So I don't think that it was leaking past the diaphragm.
Get yourself a good JIS screw driver or bit, if you remove the rods to get to the seals. I did and I still striped out two screws. I used a dremmel tool and ground the heads off. It was fairly simple to do, just take pictures for reference, it helps with reassembly.
Well, mine has some metal in there. It was kind of spring like.
I have this apart again now. Should I remove them?
Hmm, can you please post a picture of your seal with the spring in it?
Since this seal is where the vacuum leak is, it could be the wrong part?
If you replace the seals, remember that the groove faces to the outside of its seat!
Your next question concerning weather or not that the LIM has to be removed.
If you carefully remove the shafts without turning them even a little and mark the end so that when you reinstall the shaft it is at the original angle.
Making sure that the shaft engages the pin on the port sleeve. If you miss, it will not turn the sleeve.
If you spin it when it is halfway in you will feel it turn easily, when it is engaged with the sleeve you should feel more resistance moving the shaft.
I hope this helps.
If you get everything right, you should get 20 more HP on the top end!
Thanks for the response. However, I am not the same person with the leak. I am not sure mine ever leaked and the sleeves were not seized either. I still had the 3,800 hesitation, though. I will post a picture when I have time later.
I couldn't find my extra bushings. Getting mine current ones off would be not simple as I almost lost the spring last time. Sorry about that, maybe they will turn up.
Wait a minute... this picture in the thread shows the spring... look closely at the new ones.
I couldn't find my extra bushings. Getting mine current ones off would be not simple as I almost lost the spring last time. Sorry about that, maybe they will turn up.
Wait a minute... this picture in the thread shows the spring... look closely at the new ones.
I see the spring in the seal; this looks like a better way to seal the shaft from leakage.
The bag of seals does not appear to have the springs in them, more like the stock ones!
Thanks for the pictures, do you have a part # for the spring seals?
I found mine from a state side seller. I can't remember where though.
