OIL SEAL – WHICH WAY TO INSTALL?

[Anonymous]

#3779

I'm replacing the seals in the oil/water pump on my '97 K1100LT.  Clymer says “position the oil seal with the lip facing out”  (p121, fig 153).  The illustration is unclear to me.  Can anyone tell me for certain: (a) which is the 'lip' of the seal, and (b) which way is 'facing out' – impeller side or engine block side?One side of the seal has a small circular spring visible; is that the 'lip' side?The original seal was so stuffed it was unrecognisable and neither helped to retain oil nor gave a clue how the new seal should be installed!  Can anyone help, please?

[Anonymous]

#15680

I'm replacing the seals in the oil/water pump on my '97 K1100LT.  Clymer says "position the oil seal with the lip facing out"  (p121, fig 153).   The illustration is unclear to me.   Can anyone tell me for certain: (a) which is the 'lip' of the seal, and (b) which way is 'facing out' - impeller side or engine block side?One side of the seal has a small circular spring visible; is that the 'lip' side?The original seal was so stuffed it was unrecognisable and neither helped to retain oil nor gave a clue how the new seal should be installed!  Can anyone help, please?

One of our non BMWOR klingons emailed me this, Bryan:" Hi Bruce,    Above is a post I may be able to help with;  Oil seal lips are the side that has the circular spring.Rule of thumb, the lips go towards the product.In this case the cooling fluid. The oil that comes into contact with the seal is only splashes as opposed to under pressure cooling fluid.  Regards,Richard Tweedie"

[Anonymous]

#15681

Richard is correct that the side of the seal where you can see the spring is the side that faces the product that you want to stop leaking out but there are double-lip type seals that work both way. It's unusual for a water-pump seal to be a lip type seal. This is more usually an oil seal. The water seal is usually a carbon faced spring-loaded seal that runs on the back of the impellor. I'm not talking from experience with a K1100 however, just general engine water-pump experience.Have you had a look on you-tube ? Maybe this link is helpfulhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8JUY8C2c08&feature=relatedor this one but you may need Neko to translatehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHRMOu2bXm0&feature=relatedboth appear to show the spring side in and the protruding lip out

[Ron McFadzien]

#15682

If you dont know what you are doing take it to the bike shop. Follow this link http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=0526&mospid=51710&btnr=11_3505&hg=11&fg=51and have a look there are 2 seals items #7 & #8 The water pump is driven dirrectly on the oil pump shaft In my opinion seal #8 is to keep the oil in the oil pump which means the tension spring side of the seal would go facing the oil pump and seal #7 which has a carbon face and is spring loaded will be against the face of the impellor. What was the leak oil or water?If you look closely at the housing there must be a drain hole that goes to the out side (atmosphere) because you are dealing with 2 completely different pressures Oil cold could be 75psi plus and water when it is cold could be vacuum or a maximum up to what ever pressure cap is on the cooling system.boGSer

[Anonymous]

#15683

Thank you all for your comments.  It's clear I'm not the only one confused over this issue!  Got it right now – and no oil leak!  Thanks again…..

[Ron McFadzien]

#15684

Bryan, good to hear your back motoring again well done. 🙂 🙂 :). I am sure a couple of photos in the begining would have been a big help in sorting this out earlier. As they say a picture is worth a thousand words.boGSer

[Author]

Posts