Lapping one iron against another takes off a few ten thousandths. Not enough to change the shape of the "O" ring grooves. The GE silicone can be added in microscopic amounts to the "O" ring groove, but the object of the silicone is to seal off scratches in the irons and housings. So it is applied along both sides of the groove.

 

 There are rules about how much "O" ring should be forced into a groove. Free pamphlets from manufactures. If you notice that on teardown the rings are the exact shape as the ring grooves, it is probable that the ring diameter is too large for that groove. If you see ring extruding out of the groove with bits of flash along the edges then the ring is too big or has been outside the groove when the stack was torqued up.

 

I use the black (stock) water seals over many times. They get too long in use so I cut a piece out on a long diagonal and put that joint at the top of the engine where a leak would be visible. Only done with silicone as a backup. Round ring stock works fine as well.

 

I reuse the inner 3 piece ring stock over as well. Same thing but the joint goes just above the intake port.

 

Never a problem. I have used Teflon coated 18 gage wire in place of the 3 piece material and with silicone it works fine as well. One of my friends who races tried regular Beldon hookup wire from NAPA. No problem.

 

I do not suggest this as a method for building an airplane engine. For example: when you cut in a big bridge port, it intersects the path of the inner seal. So, a section of that ring is left out and the ring groove is pinned or plugged in some way to prevent the ring material from extruding into the new port. I think much blame for failures is received by the "O" rings when this is seldom the case. Now if you loose the coolant and fry the engine, the rings may look very poor. This still does not mean that the ring failed first. Many engines are lost

in the final torque up of the case bolts. More on that shortly.

 

Lynn E. Hanover