Continental Z134 Rear Main Rope Packing

Hello all,
Finally getting ready to put the MF202 engine back together.
Concerning the rear main cap rope packing,(between the rear main cap and block), I"ve read, but can"t find the post where someone stated that they coated the rope with gasket sealer prior to packing it in the slots.
Just wondering if anyone else has any input, or has done the procedure, and the method used.

Any and all info is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Roger

Found it http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=906004&highlight=continental+rope+seal

I agree with packing the rope tightly in the groove. I use a piece of clean pipe, bar stock, big socket, etc., about 2/3 the size of the seal diameter. Roll it down with considerable hand pressure.

I've never used sealer under the rope, I'd be afraid it would wick into the seal and gum everything up.

Trim the ends about 1/8 inch longer than the cap surface. I like to use an Exacto knife. Lay the crank in but don't put the other caps on. You want to work with the rear bearing first because the rope is holding the crank up off the bearings.

Put the cap on and snug it down. Take it off and trim and pack the ends of the rope where they slightly protrude.

Put the cap on and tighten it down snugly, take it off and trim and pack the ends so NO STRINGS ARE CAUGHT BETWEEN THE CAP AND THE BLOCK! This is the most likely place to leak, the cap being held up by stray strings! You want the ends to be about 1/32" higher than the surface, slightly mounded in the middle, tucked in with the knife point around the groove.

On final assembly, lightly oil the seal surface, and run a TINY bead, more like a smear of sealer, like Permatex, from the ends of the rope to the edge of the cap. Be very stingy with the sealer, don't want it squeezing over to the bearing or getting on the seal surface.

Torque to specs and feel the turning resistance. It will start out somewhat difficult to turn but get easier as you turn it through. If all is well, then install the other bearing caps.

Roger, the thread in Ptfarmer's post is referring to the cotton string packing, not the [i:89a5570057][b:89a5570057]real[/b:89a5570057][/i:89a5570057] rope seal that Steve posted about.

I read that other folks coated the cotton string packing in gasket sealer. I used a little, and didn't have any problems.

I'm new at this, and don't know what I'm doing. I was confused about the difference between the rope seal and the string packing, until I did some more reading on the board. (I even bought a rope seal that I didn't need!)

Thanks for the replies folks.
Yes I was referring to the "string" packing. I knew to pack it down, good and tight, but the old sting had what looked like some sort of sealer on it, kinda crusty. So, I was just wondering.
Hope to get the crank and cam in this evening...

Thanks again,
Roger

I use a litle bit of RTV on mine, just enough to get the string to mind. Pack the string in good and tight.

Good explanation.

Tell us more about the string seal, that's something I haven't seen. Is it from before rope seals?

(quoted from post at 12:11:16 08/08/14) Tell us more about the string seal, that's something I haven't seen. Is it from before rope seals?

Click to expand...

Steve, on the TO-20 and TO30 with the Z120/Z129 engine, the string is packed into the holes on each side of the rear main bearing cap, after the rope seal and cap are installed. The Shop Manual describes how to do it. I don't have a Shop Manual for the Z134, but it must be similar.

Here's what a bag of the cotton packing looks like:


I didn't have the crank out of my TO-20, so I didn't have to replace the rope seal, BUT: I accidentally pulled the cotton packing out of one side, and had to replace it!