Hello again Nigel.
I have looked at your repair and spoken to Raj at Beisan Systems in the USA. They are developing a seal kit which is not ready for market yet. There are a couple of items of note that are included in a document he has sent to me regarding installation of his seal kit. Have a look below and let me know what you think.
1. The seals that you replaced are not your regular spring garter type shaft seals according to his instructions and images. The seals are " rod" seals designed to accommodate axial (in-out) motion as opposed to rotation of the piston. I am guessing that this is the seal type that you sourced from your local engineering seal supplier?
2. The piston unit that your seal bears upon is actually made in two parts, a piston and a cap. In his instructions, the cap can be removed and a teflon seal pressed out against the internal bore of the vanos is replaced. (I believe this is the part he is working on) This is the seal that acts like a piston ring containing the differential oil pressure either side of the piston, the oil pressure that moves the vanos piston. Did you find that the wider end of the piston was a tight fit into the bore of the vanos? I fear that if I only replace the rod seal on the parallel body of the piston as opposed to the teflon seal with the square section rubber spreader ring inside it, I will be back inside the vanos at some point to do it again.
I would love to post Raj's document on the web but seeing as he hasn't, I think I shouldn't :banghead:
I can see how your oil pressure would have been non existent with the seal lip in tatters as shown in the picture. Are you happy that this was the only leaky seal in your vanos and are you happy that the teflon "piston ring & rubber spreader ring" were working OK? I only ask you as I have not taken my vanos off the car or stripped it yet and would ideally like to do it all in one go
Many thanks for your input above and please do tell...
Garry
