Just got all my rebuild kit parts in mail and was going to assemble this weekend but I ordered atkins brown water jacket seals with there kit and they sent me the oem mazda ones instead.
So who uses what anyone have experience with the atkins water seals. Or should I just use the oem
Thanks john

 

Really, I prefer the OEM seals. Many of the aftermarket seals are a little small so you have to stretch them and hope they stay in place.

I built an engine once with aftermarket seals, due to the tightness of the seal it jumped out of the groove when I stacked the rotor housing on top of it without knowing. Engine immediately was pumping water, I had to take the whole thing apart, re-clean, etc, it was a huge job.

Things may have changed but that left a bad taste in my mouth. The OEM seals simply sit nicely in their grooves. I haven't really seen much evidence of aftermarket seals being necessarily better or more durable than stock.

But, after that one bad experience I haven't looked into it much. Things may be different now.

Dale

 

Thanks for the reply anyone have experience with the atkins brown seals?
I figure the oem would be fine atkins claims their material to be tested to higher temps than factory

 

Dale is right. The Atkins seals are a bit too small. I used Atkins water seals on my last two rebuilds and had to stretch them each time.

 

OEM for me

 

OEM or pineapple Heavy Duty, regardless of which I always use Hylomar

 

Another vote for pineapple seals.

 

I will prob use the oem since I have them I also got a tube of hylomar

 

I've used both oem and Atkins without issues. I give customers the option. The Atkins can take slightly more heat over the oem seals and are 1 piece, so they will not split. The only thing with the Atkins brown water seals is you have to make sure they don't roll over on themselves. Because they are a solid color, it is more difficult to see if they roll over. I've never liked using any aftermarket seals that aren't square. Putting a round peg in a square hole doesn't make sense to me.