Oil Seal Cross Reference

Oil seals, which are also known as o-rings, dirt seals, packing seals, swivel seals, fluid seals or grease seals, close the spaces between moving and stationary components in a number of applications. such as automotive engines, gearboxes, transmissions, industrial machines, oil rigs or almost any object that requires lubrication with oil. These objects require lubrication because a shaft or .

There are many components in engines and other power transmission devices that require lubrication. Not only do they need a steady stream of oil to maintain proper function, but this oil must be confined to the proper locations in order to be most effective. Oil seals are designed for this purpose, and many manufacturers make them.Oil seals are mainly used at the junction point between moving and non-moving parts. An example is a drive shaft passing through a bearing. Without oil, and seals to hold it in place, the rotating friction of the spinning shaft would quickly overheat and distort both the shaft itself as well as the bearing structure. The seal also acts to protect the bearing and shaft from contaminants that could damage them.These seals are generally made of a flexible material, such as rubber, silicone or Teflon, sometimes backed with or mounted on a metal ring or other support structure to give the seal stiffness. A quick Internet search reveals many companies in the business of seal manufacture, with many different sizes available. Custom seals are also offered for specific machinery.The main difficulty the mechanic encounters is finding the right seal for the application. While seals come in standard sizes, each company has their own part numbers and reference codes that require translation. The original equipment manufacturer also maintains their own part numbers, and the task is to relate this OEM information with substitute manufacturer parts numbers in order to obtain the correct seals.This information can be derived from several different sources. First, the manufacturer of the replacement seals may have a reference chart included with the seal itself, or a website providing this information. The original equipment manufacturer or a local parts supplier are also good resources when attempting to decode these parts numbers.