Car gaskets and sealing rings parts

O-rings for your car: find out more! Which ones to choose, when to change them, and how much they cost

Seals and O-rings are elements designed to ensure the tightness of a given system. They serve to retain liquid and gas in the system and prevent the entry of air and foreign objects from the outside. They are installed at the joints of parts.

Design of seals and O-rings

Most components are made of flexible polymeric materials. However, metal or composite products can be used in units with very high operating temperatures. O-rings and seals are circle-shaped while gaskets usually have a more complex form and follow the contours of the joints which they are to be installed on. In addition, they often have holes for fasteners, which connect various components of certain assemblies.

Maintenance tips

• Select components based on the conditions they will be used under. Some units require parts that are resistant to oil and petrol. For others, heat resistance is important. Others must withstand ultraviolet rays.
• When installing new parts, do not use sealant unless the car manufacturer recommends it.
• Always tighten the fasteners with the torque recommended in the technical documentation when replacing a cylinder head or oil sump gasket. Insufficient tightening may result in leaking. Too much leads to the cracking of the seal.
• Note that seals, gaskets and O-rings are disposable. They need to be replaced every time the unit is disassembled and reassembled.
• When installing some parts, for example engine oil seals, it is important to mount the component with the correct side. Special markings may be found on the part’s surface for this purpose. Examine them before getting to work.

Malfunction symptoms

When the cylinder head gasket burns out, smoke comes out from under the bonnet and loud, characteristic sounds can be heard. The engine may run roughly, especially while being started. Large amounts of white smoke emanate from the exhaust pipe not only when you begin driving. The coolant level in the expansion tank decreases rapidly. Sometimes, white emulsion appears on the oil dipstick, indicating that coolant has entered the lubrication system. Fuel consumption can increase while engine power decreases.

A faulty valve cover gasket or a sump plug seal can be often diagnosed by oily leaks in the area where the components are located as well as by an overall increase in lubrication consumption.

The smell of exhaust gases in the vehicle cabin is a sign of a defective exhaust manifold gasket. Sometimes, unusual sounds can be heard from the engine compartment.

Hardened door or window seals can lead to puddles forming inside the car during rain. Draughts can be felt.

Malfunction causes

These depend on the location and functions of the sealed unit. For example, defects of a cylinder head gasket frequently happen due to failures to heed the manufacturer's recommendations during the installation of the components, as well as an overheating of the engine. Streaks coming from under the valve cover are caused by constant oil exposure and deformation of the spare part, for example, due to increased pressure of crankcase gases. Exhaust system seals burn out when the motor doesn’t run properly, which causes fuel to burn out in the exhaust manifold or silencer.

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