Hi All.

I have a question for you, Are water seals reusable if the Engine has no miles on it?

Just to put you in the Picture, I built an Engine for a Guy i know who whilst refitting it has droped a nut down the Inlet i've just spent most of the morning rond there trying to get it out but i convinced its gon into the Bore (the Inlet is open on that branch of the manifold)

SO!!! he's pulling it out as i write this and if it does'nt come out when we roll the motor around a bit i'll strip it and take it out.

Which is why i'm looking at Damage limitation, the engine has run but for 30 seconds-1 minute (as it was not built up properly) i know this was done on a Budget to start with so this is realy not good. I am seriously thinking of reusing the Water seals etc but there is this thing in the back of my head saying "DON'T!!! you don't want to be rebuilding it again if it starts leaking water!!!" So i'm in a Catch 22 Situation.

What do you think? Is there a way to check if the seals are still good before it goes back or is it just safer to replace them?

Cheers
Chris

 

I have done it w/ no problems, w/ longer run times. Go for it.

 

If you plan to open the motor again anyways, why dont you try to gently turn the crank, who knows you MIGHT be able to reach it thru the exhaust port.

BE CAREFULL: It COULD get stuck in the compression zone

And yes, just reuse the seals

 

I haven't had a play with it yet but i will try to get it out before i take it apart.

I used Blue Hylomar to hold the seals in place is there anything i can get it off with that woun't hurt the seals? (as you can proberley tell i have had water seal issues in the past )

 

i've dropped a nut down the intake twice in 20 years and i was able to use a magnet to get it out both times. i'd say just keep at it. as for me, i don't reuse water seals once the engine has seen a heat cycle.

 

The smurf-snot is some nasty ****, Just put the seals on a clean piece of household aluminum foil.
No need to remove the Hylomar as they are going back in.

But as Diabolical mentioned, try a magnet they are cheap and bendable/disposable.

 

I did this to, Buy a peice of grass trimmer line, that is the roughly 2mm sowewhat stiff bendable line, and zip tie and epoxy a small magnet to it. second option if a shop vac, with an adapter down to a peice of 10mm thin walled water hose. I actully used both teqniques successfully, the 2 times I dropped stuff in the engine.