Pipe 'O' Rings - any durable ones?

stay_upright

New member
Every time I remove my pipe the 'O' rings are damaged to some extent - sometimes broken with bits missing sometimes completely disintegrated.

Is there a better solution over the stock rubber o rings? Something with better temperature resistance than rubber perhaps?
 
From an engineering perspective, o-ring selection for this application is tough. You have heat, vibration, and petroleum products to deal with. Commonly available materials in this size and their resistance to heat/vibration/petroleum:

BunaN - fair/good/excellent (cheapest)

Silicone - excellent/poor/excellent

Viton - excellent/poor/excellent (most expensive)

As you can see its a compromise. The OEM silicone (and Viton) o-rings wear flat from pipe vibration and leak eventually. The cheaper and eaisly available in bulk BunaN (common black rubber) o-rings take a permanent set from heat and do the same. What I found to be the best solution is to use the BunaN parts, but use hi-temp RTV on them and the pipe/flange for assembly instead of grease, after cleaning everything up good with contact cleaner. This has worked very well for me, no leaks for months last season and none this year. Your results may vary depending on the alignment of your pipe/flange (from pipe bending) that puts greater side loads on the o-rings.
 
I can't even fit a pipe without breaking the o-ring!
So I smother the joint with RTV Silicon. Seems to work.
 
I have been using the McCaster rings. They seem to last as long as anything else just cost a fraction as much, last time I bought some at a local dealer they were in an fmf package with springs I couold not use and cost $11 I have been having problems keeping the new 06 Oem pipe from seeping spooge. Never had this problem with the Doma. I will be adding some rtv sealant or similar this time.

Paul B
 
When ever I put new ones on (ones from gasgas) I get about 2 rides then I start getting vibrations? P!sses me right off! Lucky they are cheap!
 
I have been having problems keeping the new 06 Oem pipe from seeping spooge.

Same here Paul. I think the header ID may be a hair larger and compresses the o-rings less. Any misalignment makes it worse. The RTV fixes it.
 
Back
Top