so i started putting my engine back together last night (89 gtu) and the triangle piece on one of the apex seals flew out and disintigrated somehow. so now i am wondering can i reuse one of the old apex seals, at least 3 of them are good from the rotor that didnt trash the housing. im putting in atkins seals now and they are the 1 piece design, my originals are 2 piece. ive been waiting a month to get these parts and im not about to wait another month to get 1 triangle piece thatll probably end up costing another 500 bux. would the engine still run fine if i used one original ?

 

Mixing old an new seals sounds like a pretty terrible idea, especially if they aren't all the same type.

The seals wear into the housings at the same rate, and once they finally get all the way worn in, that is when your motor will make good compression. Staring out with 2 seals that have already gone through this wearing process and 1 seal that hasn't just sounds like trouble waiting to happen.

 

If you question is: "would the engine still run fine if i used one original ?" I'd have to say yes considering guys around here will mix and match good seals from other motors to rebuild there own motors and they run strong.

 

Two faces on the rotor on which you reuse the old seal will have much lower compression then the remaining face. The engine will run poorly. Don't do this.

 

You could try explaining what happened to atkins and see if you could get a replacment or just maybe buy one apex seal? I wouldn't use an old part of an apex seal with another apex seal...

 

I'm sure they'll send you a corner piece for cheap.