Now, how the heck do you remove the Oil Seal in the vacuum pump accessory adapter?!

[MisfitSELF]

My info:
1984 M20J
Lycoming IO-360 A3B6 engine
Oil Seal:  06A19956

Ok so I finally got around to removing my vacuum pump with the special Rapco vacuum pump tool (thanks guys for the inputs!!).  And I found a small amount of oil seepage from in the accessory adapter that looks like it's from the oil seal.  Not much mind you but it's noticeable.  The Rapco instructions said to replace the oil seal if there is any oil leaking.  So my A&P talked me into it doing it while the pump is off.  This is the oil seal that fits around the gear that drives the vacuum pump (part number above)

So, I ordered the seal and the accessory adapter gasket and another week where I'm not flying goes by...

They finally come in and my A&P tells me to try to gently tap out the old oil seal with a plastic or wooden dowel.  I try and try and no amount of gently to moderately applied force is budging that thing!  I also notice that Lycoming sells a tool (available through Aircraft Spruce) to remove this oil seal for the low low price of $1300.  YIPE!

So you guys came through brilliantly with the Rapco tool.  Any hints on how to remove that oil seal?  And then of course, any hints on getting the new one back in?  (my A&P gave me some hints but he took off for the weekend....but that can always wait for him to get back...)

Thanks,

Bruce

[RLCarter]

Not get me wrong, removing the seal is the easy part, installing the new seal incorrectly will ruin the seal. I applaud you for wanting to learn your aircraft but my suggestion is to wait and have your A&P looking over your shoulder. 

[MisfitSELF]

19 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

Not get me wrong, removing the seal is the easy part, installing the new seal incorrectly will ruin the seal. I applaud you for wanting to learn your aircraft but my suggestion is to wait and have your A&P looking over your shoulder. 

Well if removing the seal is the "easy part" why not tell me how to do it?

[MB65E]

I’ll bite with the intent to learn something by those after me. If you find a way to remove it easier than the following let me know. 

Many times there is a housing that can come off of the back of the accessory case. I’ve had good luck with dremeling a small cut in the metal part of the seal. This frees it up to pull out. It’s a mess, fuel pump drives and other rotary items are similar. Careful not to nick the housing. Soft prying tools or jack screws can pull it out as well. If there is enough meat on the seal still a small sheet metal screw into the material gives a good pry point. Be careful!

It would be neat to use the tool once on a lycoming. 

Many gearbox and turbine engines have spicific tooling for this. I’d never use the method mentioned on anything other than disposable housings etc. and not on expensive gear boxes, or cases. 

The easiest way to do it is to slap a gasket and plate on your vacuum pad and call it a day!  

-Matt

[Andy95W]

Just pry the friggin' thing out without damaging the housing it goes in. 

[Guest]

6 hours ago, MisfitSELF said:

My info:
1984 M20J
Lycoming IO-360 A3B6 engine
Oil Seal:  06A19956

Ok so I finally got around to removing my vacuum pump with the special Rapco vacuum pump tool (thanks guys for the inputs!!).  And I found a small amount of oil seepage from in the accessory adapter that looks like it's from the oil seal.  Not much mind you but it's noticeable.  The Rapco instructions said to replace the oil seal if there is any oil leaking.  So my A&P talked me into it doing it while the pump is off.  This is the oil seal that fits around the gear that drives the vacuum pump (part number above)

So, I ordered the seal and the accessory adapter gasket and another week where I'm not flying goes by...

They finally come in and my A&P tells me to try to gently tap out the old oil seal with a plastic or wooden dowel.  I try and try and no amount of gently to moderately applied force is budging that thing!  I also notice that Lycoming sells a tool (available through Aircraft Spruce) to remove this oil seal for the low low price of $1300.  YIPE!

So you guys came through brilliantly with the Rapco tool.  Any hints on how to remove that oil seal?  And then of course, any hints on getting the new one back in?  (my A&P gave me some hints but he took off for the weekend....but that can always wait for him to get back...)

Thanks,

Bruce

Bruce,

 

I use a long 1/4 Allen wrench with the 90 degree portion cut a bit shorter.

Measure the depth that the seal is pressed into the adapter.

With the drive adapter held in soft jaws in a vice, insert the short leg of the Allen wrench behind the seal.  Use a hammer and tap the seal out of the housing.

To press the new seal in, you need a fairly large socket just slightly smaller in diameter than the seal.  Hold the adapter, seal and socket between the jaws of the vice, gently squeeze the vice to press the seal into place.  Press to the measurement taken above.

Polish the drive shaft in the area where the seal rides, lubricate the shaft with clean oil before assembly.

Clarence

[MisfitSELF]

12 hours ago, MB65E said:

I’ll bite with the intent to learn something by those after me. If you find a way to remove it easier than the following let me know. 

Many times there is a housing that can come off of the back of the accessory case. I’ve had good luck with dremeling a small cut in the metal part of the seal. This frees it up to pull out. It’s a mess, fuel pump drives and other rotary items are similar. Careful not to nick the housing. Soft prying tools or jack screws can pull it out as well. If there is enough meat on the seal still a small sheet metal screw into the material gives a good pry point. Be careful!

It would be neat to use the tool once on a lycoming. 

Many gearbox and turbine engines have spicific tooling for this. I’d never use the method mentioned on anything other than disposable housings etc. and not on expensive gear boxes, or cases. 

The easiest way to do it is to slap a gasket and plate on your vacuum pad and call it a day!  

-Matt

I'd love to get rid of the vacuum pump just like you suggest Matt.  Hopefully that KI300 will come to the rescue!

[MisfitSELF]

Clearance,

That's pretty much what my A&P was suggesting.  He also suggested getting the new seal started by using the old one to line it up.  I was also thinking about using a wooden dowel rod that was just the right size.  My concern with the dowel rod is making sure that the surface is completely flat and "square / perpendicular" so that the seal goes in straight.

I have already measured the depth (another thing my A&P made sure I did) and it's how I also know I haven't budged the damn thing.  I'll go through my stash of Allen wrenches and see  which one will be the best candidate.

Thanks again,

Bruce

[MisfitSELF]

Thanks again guys for your inputs.  I Finally got my Mooney up and running again yesterday.  What a pain for "just a vacuum pump failure"  Let me give you guys a recap.

That oil seal turn out to be a royal b**ch to remove.  I tried the allen wrench.  I used just a bit smaller than a 1/4" (more like a 3/16") and used my metal cutter to make the short end a little shorter.  I started out by tapping and rotating it around so that my force was relatively even.  It didn't budge.  Then I repeated, harder and harder.  Still it didn't budge.  I ripped up the old rubber seal portion and heavily dented the seal all around the rim.  Still it didn't budge.  The allen wrench really did feel like it was almost the right tool for the job as it fit just right but it just wasn't working.  I was at the point where I was causing minor damage to the adapter block with the force I was using.

Then I tried freezing it.  Still didn't budge.  Then I tried heating the whole thing to 350 degs.  Still didn't budge.  I had order the cover so that I could just "cap" it off and hope the KI300 comes out soon and was thinking about ordering a replacement adapter (yet another $350 for a stupid vacuum pump).  My A&P came by to check on my lack of progress and he volunteered to take the part home and give it a go.  We talked about cutting it out or drilling it out but I didn't have the right tools and drilling seemed risky.

He worked to all hours of the night and concluded he needed to some how cut the seal out (which is made out of some serious steal!).  It's nearly impossible to get at the seal to cut it with dikes.  Eventually, he put it in his drill press with a grinder wheel that fit inside and carefully ground down the seal on one side until he could peal it out. 

He installed the new seal using a socket to tap it in as suggested above.  Before doing that he measured the diameter of the seal and the accessory adapter.  Turns out the seal is like 0.001 larger than the diameter of where it goes in the adapter!  In addition he was nice enough to "clean up" the minor dings I made in the part.

The next day every thing is back together and I have vacuum!

Not to scour the Mooney space forums for that pesky engine lobing issue...