Crank seal maintenance

[Drifter]

Alright guys got 'er all back together and gonna try her out tonight...big snowstorm here today.  Just wondering what is the best way to maintain those new crank seals.  Maybe start it every month while in storage?  How long would someone expect them to last with normal storage?  I usually start my sleds once or twice a summer ( I don't drain the fuel out just some stabilizer)

[Lloyd (ljm)]

 Should last a long time if you start them every month or so.

[Drifter]

Thank Lloyd

I always hear crank seals crank seals.  Just thought maybe a trick to make em last and/or prevent catastrophic failure due to them.

[Lloyd (ljm)]

 Fogging the engine. or what I do is start them a couple of times during the summer.

 Seems to work.
 I do a pressure test of the engine every couple years to check them.

 Lloyd

[jimvw57]

A pressure test won't tell if they are close to failing since the main function is to seal air from going IN the crankcase, not going out. And it will only test at the time and not after warming up the motor. Best is to replace them every few years.

 I found that packing them with grease helps guard against dry startups, and helps protect them if the motor gets flooded with gasoline.

[ChaChi]

It's talked about a ton on here, because guys buy an old kawi and we all know how invaders/LTD and ceptor run! They love revving to the moon and some guys don't exactly know that a 2 stroke shouldn't really be pinned for minutes at a time if you want any longevity out of it.

Crank seals age from time, ethenol and from extended use... If you lives somewhere you rode months out of the year instead of days the ladder maybe ur only concern...

Run premium fuel period, it shouldn't contain ethenol if you buy it from a decent name brand station...

Some 2 stroke oils are easier on seals then others...

Fogging is a really good idea for ur entire motor!

[Lloyd (ljm)]

 Here in Ontario all gas has some ethanol. There might be one or two of the off brands premium that doesn't But you have to assume it does.

[ChaChi]

Shell premium doesn't have ethenol
94 octane at the old synoco gas stations that were rebranded petro canada also has 0 ethenol...

I actually get better miledge in my old honda accord (calls for 91 octane) with shell premium fuel then any other brand, I assume that is due to ethenol...

I am actually pretty sure all big branded premium gas, Petrocan, esso, shell in ontario is ethenol free...

[Lloyd (ljm)]

  nope not anymore.

 Not many of the big brands have stations anymore.

 Sunoco/Petrocan premium has ethanol, Shell and Canadaian Tire might or might not have it.

[jimvw57]

around here, you can get fuel without ethanol but you have to search for it, and there is no telling how old it is. I put some in a few months ago (at $5.23 per gallon) and the sleds ran like crap, then the fuel lines got ice in them. sadly I went back to the alcohol laced blend just to get rid of the ice.

Won't be going to that gas pump again!!

[Interceptor398]

Maybe this will help.  We have a few stations around here that have the good stuff.  It labled for collector cars and small engines.

 http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=WI

[Drifter]

So ethanol gas kills rubber seals and rubber carb boots.  Runnin premium in everything is gonna take a way from the smiles an hour factor but I can live with it. 

ChaChi put some oils are easier than others on seals... Is there a website or common knowledge of good and bad ones.  I've been using the Amsoil intercepter in boats, sleds and sons dirt bike with no problem yet.  A mechanic told me he didn't like it because it sloshed around the bottle feeling watery.  I'm still using mineral oil in my truck but probably time to change that to.