If you don´t trust your own work you need to do it this way. Using fluid sealant from outside is always a kind of temporary repair but not a proper method. Do use fluid sealant before fitting parts together and not after. Do applicate some sealant into the holes of the cigarette seals. Excess sludge can be removed.

Some people (also described as "experienced mechanics") try to make an art of it....

 

Good advice above. IMO you do not need to get overly creative to get the rear and cigarette seals to work.

 

Gasket sealant may not be the best choice. I'd use the high temp red silicone which adheres well and stays pliable.

 

I definitely agree that using RTV or gasket adhesive on the outside of a seal is sloppy and unlikely to help much. I also agree that it can't hurt tp apply a thin layer of sealant around the perimeter of the seal prior to assembly.

What I find interesting are the tabs in the picture below, that were evidently added to hold the rear main seal in place. I have done that too - I also bent down a tab from the "U" shaped sheetmetal cover to bear on the top of the seal.

 

What I find interesting are the tabs in the picture below, that were evidently added to hold the rear main seal in place. I have done that too - I also bent down a tab from the "U" shaped sheetmetal cover to bear on the top of the seal.

Right. In this example air horn tabs from DCOE´s have been used.

 

Vince, you have a better memory than me. I don't remember what it looked like or felt like. I checked my pics of that work and its the only picture I never took.

 

Hi Mike,

I remember because I still think its a good idea. Kind of like insurance.

Dont get me wrong, I dont want to use any type of RTV, silicone. I tried that and know it doesnt work.

But that aviation stuff dries hard and I think it would be that kind of insurance.

No mechanic wants to do work twice and getting to that rear main seal is not pleasant and the cigarette seals are worse, so when I saw yours and we know who worked on it, I put it in the memory bank.

Vin

 

OK, whats a cigarette seal? Never heRD OF IT. Time for me to learn.

 

the 2 seals about the size of a cigarette at the rear crank cap,
this shows one of them sticking up (as they should!)
http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/742836-post1.html

 

Vince,
I know Pino uses an anaerobic sealant instead of the cigarette seals, but I can't remember the Permatex number. Vytas bought some and used it on his last build.

 

alfa use(ed)/recommend(ed) Loctite 510, afaik.

 

That's the one!! I got the maker wrong