LINER SEAL LUBRICATION
Using Vaseline, grease, white lead or dense lubricants such as engine oil, vegetable oil, antifreeze, brake fluid, castor oil, vegetable shortening and silicon spray IS NOT RECOMMENDED for a liner seal lubricant.. Currently aftermarket suppliers recommend using a soapy water solution. Due to changes in liner seal materials, recommendations for seal lubricants have also changed over the past few years. If you check an old service manual and compare it to a new manual or tech bulletin, you will usually find a different recommendation. Some products can cause premature swelling of the seal rings, creating installation difficulties and seal damage. Others can corrode the liners or other engine parts during assembly. Used in excess, others can physically damage the seals during installation. The heavy consistency of these products could reduce the expansion volume needed when the seal is compressed into the confines of the block bore. This “hydraulic lock” condition will often shear off a section of the seal or can cut an entire strip from the seal resembling a rubber band. Not only could this distort the cylinder liner resulting in piston scoring, but can also cause coolant leakage past the seal into the lube oil. This type of failure is very common with the International 300 & 400 Series diesels when correct procedures are not followed.
Engine Pro Technical Committee
with thanks to Advantage Engine Parts
October, 2014
