Lycoming Crankshaft Seal Retainer

[Randyg]

What is everyone doing or using for crankshaft prop seal retainers for mainly 0-320 lycomings?

[Waiter]

Red RTV. Make sure the hole is clean, I used Acetone.  Heat the seal in boiling water, and it will pull over the prop flange. Then take it off, heat it in boiling water again, and put it on right this time. :lol:

After its on the shaft (the correct way), I used a cotton swab to put a very thin film of oil on the shaft, put the spring in the seal, put a very small amount of Red RTV up inside the hole, and a very small amount on the outside of the seal.  Slide it in the hole, wipe off the excess, and that was five years ago.

Oh Yah,  I have a VERY old O-320. It doesn't have the retainer bolt holes and it doesn't have a seating grove inside to help hold the seal.

Waiter

[Joe Dubner]

What is everyone doing or using for crankshaft prop seal retainers for mainly 0-320 lycomings?

Although you asked about the O-320, here's what I did for my similar (I assume) O-235 after I put in a new seal.  I bought a LSE Plasma II E.I. and used the sensor plate as a retainer.  Since my O-235 crankcase had no holes for mounting a retainer plate, I drilled and tapped the bosses for 1/4-20 bolts IAW the instructions that came with the E.I.  That turned out to be not as big a deal as I had anticipated even in a nasty T-hangar in the winter :-)

If I hadn't wanted the E.I. with its sensor plate, I would have used a piece of sheet metal instead.

--
Joe
Long-EZ 821RP
Lewiston, ID

[Randyg]

My original plans are to use the LSE ignition with crankshaft sensor plate. Does this crankshaft sensor plate double as a seal retainer with its position? Otherwise I was going to purchase the Hall effect unit that goes into the acc. cover and use some type of seal retention device.
My engine is a O-320E2B wide deck.

Randy

[Joe Dubner]

Randy,

> Does this crankshaft sensor plate double as a seal retainer with its position?

In a word: yes.

If one is not adverse to the extra effort required to install the sensor plate, it offers some advantages over the accessory case-mounted unit: lower cost, lower weight, less clutter near the firewall, and no wear.  Of course, one needs a flywheel to take advantage of this.

--
Joe
Long-EZ 821RP
Lewiston, ID

[Curt Boyll]

I just made the retainer bkts (crescent-shaped plates) from scratch out of 1/8" aluminum, drilled and tapped holes in the case bosses, and bolted them up. Very low cost, really easy to do, on our O-235.