8BA front seals

3twinridges

3twinridges

Well-known member
Have read numerous posts about the best gasket front rope seals. I gather in those posts that the consensus is to not trim them. I compared the length of the best gasket rope seals to a correct NOS rope seal and the length difference is substantial, maybe 1/2” longer. Not sure how you could use the best gasket ropes without a trim, thoughts?

JB
 

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3twinridges said:
Have read numerous posts about the best gasket front rope seals. I gather in those posts that the consensus is to not trim them. I compared the length of the best gasket rope seals to a correct NOS rope seal and the length difference is substantial, maybe 1/2” longer. Not sure how you could use the best gasket ropes without a trim, thoughts?

JB
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571017
 
I found differencies in the groove depth and shape of various oil pans. For example the groove in my french flatheads differs in width and deepness with the US Ford oil pan. When using the US pan I had to reshape that groove with a formpiece that was clamped over the groove that I filled with JB-weld. After curing I had the same shape in the pan as in the upper timing cover. After redrilling the drain hole in the pan groove I inserted the rope seals and let them protrude around a millimeter over the surface of the cork seal. The rope in the pan is also a millimeter higher than the surface. Doing it this way gives me a dry seal every time on these engines.
 
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Roll 'em in firmly with a big socket or piece of pipe then trim as vincent says. No way would the "best" seals pack into the grooves at supplied length. Hard to cut too...have a very sharp razor blade held in a vise-grip plier or such and be careful.
 
Doesn't Best provide a "popsicle stick" with a cutout around the rope, that you use to cut the rope at the proper projection? I recall they even provided a snap-off knife to cut it.
 
Yeah, the popsicle stick and knife obviously could trim the front rope seal, but they are furnished in the Best gasket set along with a paper spacer in order to trim the rear seal at the correct height.
 
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