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Apex Seals 2mm or 3mm What's Better

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Old 05-28-10, 12:42 AM
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Question Apex Seals 2mm or 3mm What's Better

What do i go for? Any Expert Suggestions....
Old 05-28-10, 09:01 AM
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2MM seals are better. They have superior sealing, don't require machining of the rotors and are only marginally weaker then 3MM seals. With a poor tune, 3MM seals will break just as easily as 2MM seals.

Now if your rotors are worn to the point where they will not accept 2MM seals then you need to either machine them to accept 3MM or get new rotors.
Old 05-28-10, 06:54 PM
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He is right without a proper tune it doesn't matter what type of size seal you have.
Old 05-29-10, 02:26 AM
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Ok so what about the carbon vs Ceramic theory what do you go for,any particular brand to use ?
And how bad are the stock 2mm mazda seals ?
Old 05-30-10, 10:20 AM
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Carbon seals are only for high revving NA applications, generally peripheral ported track cars. They do not seal well at low RPMs and have a limited life span.

Ceramic seals are about $1000 each.

The stock Mazda seals are not bad at all. I don't know why you would have that impression. They are very reliable and highly developed. The only thing I am not a fan of with the Mazda seals are the three piece design, which Mazda has gone back to recently. The three piece seal does not wear as well as a two piece seal.
Old 05-30-10, 09:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Aaron Cake
Carbon seals are only for high revving NA applications, generally peripheral ported track cars. They do not seal well at low RPMs and have a limited life span.

Ceramic seals are about $1000 each.

The stock Mazda seals are not bad at all. I don't know why you would have that impression. They are very reliable and highly developed. The only thing I am not a fan of with the Mazda seals are the three piece design, which Mazda has gone back to recently. The three piece seal does not wear as well as a two piece seal.
people get the impression because thats usually the first(weakest link i guess) thing to go

...and would do you have any pro's for ceramic seals??? thanks
i know there about 1000 each but are they worth the dough?
and if so....in what situations?

Last edited by zman600; 05-30-10 at 10:00 PM.
Old 05-31-10, 03:30 PM
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Ceramic seals are only worth the money in very high HP applications and on new housings. They can handle a fair amount of abuse, deal with heat well and have low rolling friction. But you can break them with effort, and when they go, they will take out everything in their path.

I have always built engines with either Mazda OEM or Atkins seals. Now that Mazda has gone back to three piece seals I will only be using Atkins 2 piece.
Old 05-31-10, 03:35 PM
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thanks Aarron Cake...
so there not for me... unless 400hp is the very high your talking about cus ur makin it seem like ur taking about 500+ rwh just by the way ur saying things
Old 06-01-10, 12:23 AM
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I've seen alot of people Quote I'VE USED 2MM OR 3MM UNBREAKABLE SEALS...
What do they mean by that,is there a percific brand that they are talking about?
Old 06-01-10, 11:47 AM
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^+1
i want to know also
Old 06-11-10, 09:39 AM
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Its not what i asked'
My Question is what is ment by the term Unbreakable seals?
Are they refering to a specific type or specific brand?
Old 06-11-10, 10:19 AM
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"Unbreakable seal" is just the latest seal claimed by a manufacturer as "unbreakable". For example, I believe the current "unbreakable" seal is made by ALS.
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