Automotive Seals

These form a special sector of the market and are seals developed to cope with high rotational speeds, torsional shaft vibrations, additives in the ethylene glycol coolant mix which can crystallize and cause face damage, and to resist the faces sticking together during long stationary periods as well as rapid pump assembly methods, often by unskilled operators. The general arrangement of automotive seals is that of a stationary sprung element with some form of carbon face and elastomer bellows, the carbon being restrained against rotation by a positive drive arrangement, running against a rotating seat of ceramic, silicon carbide or sintered stainless steel. In unitised seals (described below) the seat may have an anti rotation drive connecting it to the shaft sleeve. Some seals have a rubber encapsulated body, such as the Cyclam type IFH, which gives excellent sealing in the pump housing, especially useful where pumps are being remanufactured and the housing is not in perfect condition. The seal and seat are often unitised using either a rubber or stainless steel sleeve to hold the components together until installation is complete - this means that the seal assembly can be factory tested by the manufacturer before shipping, and the faces, being held together by the sleeve, are protected from the ingress of dirt, operator contamination, etc. Chenderit have extensive experience in the automotive seal industry.