How would I go about removing stuck side seals? I've tried torching it, but that didn't do anything, then I tried using liquid wrench, and that didn't work either. Do any of you have any suggestions/ideas, that wont severely damage the seals? (I'm looking at putting them back in, so I can still display the rotor with everything in it, I'm not going to be re-using it.)

Good luck!!



I know how to get the side seals out without damaging the rotor...

Okay, tell me how to do that, and I might figure out a way to do it without damaging the seals a lot.

Get some 24 gauge(.55mm) metal stainless steel is good cause it wont fold as easy cut it into a wedge , use a hammer and drift it out. If side seals are stuck they will break. If they are stuck cause a water seal failed and chem-weld was used causing them to stick rotors can be cleaned up and used. If it ran out of oil and burned them in , they are scrap.

Best thing i have found is if you soak the rotor in Engine cleaner for a day then just play with it a bit push one end of the seal in gently and move it back with a little screw driver, do this very gently and dont bend the seal to much or it will brake. When you feel its not going to move anymore without snaping switch ends and play with the other side. If you spend a bit of time playing with the seal and spraying lots of Duck oil/WD40 etc into it, After both ends are free'ish try pushing the seal backwards and forwards in the seal groove with the small screw driver, it will free up as its only Carbon build up thats stoping it its just a matter of small movements and some messing about, You may even have to soak it again but it does work.

Thanks for the help guys. I'm thinking of just leaving them in, and just going ahead and sandblast it. I'm not THAT worried about how it looks.



I'll look at doing that when we rebuild one of the other 12A's we have in the garage.

When I pulled my motor apart the apex seals were stuck the side seals were stuck.



I submerged the engine peices in a bath of TIDE. It seems like it'is ok on the bearings. The TIDE will attack the oil and the caked on carbon. After several days of switching the bath with fresh TIDE the carbon became soft. I used a hobby knife (xacto). I used the knife to remove the apex seal. I removed all the apex seals out first. Then i used a fresh xacto knife blade and gently pry'd and lifted the edge of the side seal from where the corner seal was to get the side seal out. Most like the seal will break. I then soaked the rotor again. I put a dremel held by a vice with the grinding stone and shaped a side seal with a little hook to try to get underneth the rest of the side seals. You will break the side seal many times. I combined the xacto knife and side seal to clean the groove after.



Now if the corner seal is stuck that's a different story.

I would be a little worried about the sandblasting. Most likely it will not loosen the seal. Further if you clean all the sand out you may be in for a surprise.

I'm not worried if it doesn't loosen the seal, i'm just going to be using a housing and rotor to show off in my room.



I've already got the apex, corner, and the circular seals out, its just the side ones that are not wanting to come out. I'm thinking of trying your idea with the Tide detergent, and see if that works.

<Thread Stealer!!!



Yea I was trying to get a car with stuck side seals to run but that ain't going to happen now I need to get them out, but I have new ones, so should I just soak them in PB Blaster? Oris there something better?