My turn - Speedi-sleeve?

[Clams Canino]

Ok,<br /><br />Sifting through my pile of inline 6 crankshafts today..........<br /><br />I have a *perfect* crankshaft, except that the area ABOVE the upper ball<br />bearing but BELOW the flywheel is hosed pretty badly.<br /><br />Yes, that's exactly where the seal would go. <sigh><br /><br />There's no way I wanna lose this crank, you can still see the machine marks<br />on the rod journals with a magnifying glass, it's that good. I'm debating<br />wether to try to find a place to weld / regrind it, or to have it fit with a<br />speedi-sleeve and use a slightly oversize ID seal.<br /><br />Any sources or opinions?<br /><br />-W

 

[Kenny Bush]

Re: My turn - Speedi-sleeve?

Oh CC, you are asking a "Bold Frontier" question. I am a trailblazer, so I say "Innovate"...... Let me get this correct; Just the seal face area is damaged and NOT the bearing journal or the flywheel mounting face. Sooooo it is just a seal issue.?

 

[Clams Canino]

Re: My turn - Speedi-sleeve?

Yes, only 1/4" of the crank is damaged. Seems the upper seal rusted and came apart with peices of shrapnel trapped between the upper bearing and the flywheel. <br /><br />The upper bearing itself was also hosed, but the journal area it presses onto is OK. Ditto the flywheel area. But the 1/4" between them is not pretty.<br /><br />-W

 

[Greg New Zealand]

Re: My turn - Speedi-sleeve?

Hi Clams. Not sure how bad the damage is but can you find a machine shop that can hard chrome the affected area then finish grind it back to original OD. I work for a gear manufacturing company and we do this often for worn/damaged gearbox shafts. Would like to help you out but I'm on the other side of the world.

 

[Kenny Bush]

Re: My turn - Speedi-sleeve?

I agree with prior post. A machine shop can weld/fill and recut it to specs.

 

[alcan]

Re: My turn - Speedi-sleeve?

Hi Clams<br />I have never used a speedi sleeve as you suggest. How ever it is an interesting idea. I have had Crank,drive and prop shafts welded and turned. I have had exellent results. This process allthough not inexpencive it is a lot cheeper than the alternative.

 

[Hooty]

Re: My turn - Speedi-sleeve?

That sounds like a job for...<br /><br />

<br /><br />c/6<br />Hooty

 

[andrewkafp]

Re: My turn - Speedi-sleeve?

Hooty<br /><br />Shhh.. We don't want make J.B any richer..

 

[emckelvy]

Re: My turn - Speedi-sleeve?

Clams, failing a mechanical repair of the seal area, I don't see any reason why a sleeve wouldn't work on the upper seal. Providing you can get one of the correct size and sufficient width for the seal to ride upon. You'd have to measure carefully to make sure the sleeve is placed in the correct spot so the lips of the seal hit it (best to center the seal on the sleeve as closely as possible). Also consider any upper end cap shims which would move the position of the seal slightly in relation to the crank. And of course the installation depth of the seal in the end cap.<br /><br />You could get a pretty good idea of where the lips of the new seal ride, by pre-fitting the cap/seal/shim assy and adding a thin coating of grease/vaseline on the crank surface before assy.<br /><br />When you pull the cap back off, you'll be able to see the exact area that the seal wipes.<br /><br />Of course the grooved area left by the old seal riding on the crank is a good indication of where the new seal will hit, but I'd still lay it out, to make sure of exactly where it'll be.<br /><br />I would degrease the damaged area before installation of the seal, and use a bit of red Loctite or the Bearing-Stud-Mount sealer to fill in any low spots under the sleeve and also to help positively retain & seal the sleeve.