Technology

A Perfect Combination – Oil Seals and PTFE

Classical oil seals. The purpose of oil seals is to provide sealing between the rotating crankshaft and the outside. Classical oil seals consist of a metal housing that carries the dynamic sealing lip and also provides the static sealing function. The sealing lip of oil seals is usually manufactured of elastomer material, and is in contact with the surface of the rotating shaft. Hereby, the lip is pressed onto the shaft surface by means of a spring ring. As a result of the rotational movement, there is a sealing gap of approx. 1 m at the lip edge. Oil can enter this gap, which serves to lubricate the sealing lip.

New Demands On Oil Seals. Ongoing developments in engine design result in ever-higher demands on this type of seal. Higher engine speeds and oil temperatures, longer intervals between oil changes, and lubricants with modern additives that react aggressively with the sealing materials require new and lasting solutions. The material for future oil seals is named polytetrafluoroethylene – or simply PTFE.

Trend-setting Advantages. Low friction and minimum power consumption are the decisive advantages offered by PTFE oil seals. These seals can be used without problems also with dry operation or insufficient lubrication. The material’s excellent thermal properties, with an operating range of -130ºC to +200ºC, are unrivalled. Moreover, PTFE is characterized by high chemical resistance and a low breakaway torque after standstill.

How it works?

When heated, PTFE attempts to return to its original form. In other words: The material «remembers» its original condition. This phenomenon is known as the plastic memory effect, and permits seals to be built without a pretensioning spring. During manufacture, the sealing lip is shaped as a flat ring, which is molded to the reinforcing ring. During assembly onto the shaft, the initially flat sealing lip expands and folds to match the shaft diameter. As soon as the sealing lip heats up during engine operation, it attempts to return to its original shape.

Integrated oil seal

The outer housing is made of stainless steel. An O-ring of fluoroelastomer ensures optimal static sealing. The internal diameter is perfectly concentric with the outer diameter. The actual sealing lip is made of highly wearresistant and low-friction PTFE. An additional dust seal (rubber lip or felt strip) provides an effective barrier against contaminating particles.

Special Type With Integrated Oil Seal

Integrated oil seals reduce the manufacturing time of series production engines. As only one component needs to be installed, work on the assembly line as well as subsequent leakage is reduced by about one third. Similarly, significant time savings are achievable when replacing the radial crankshaft seals.

Victor Reinz® Valve Stem Seals

Dana’s flexibility creates sealing solutions for every application. Our Victor Reinz® valve stem seals protect from the fouling of exhaust after-treatment devices caused by an increase in hydrocarbon and particulate emissions over time. Each of our valve stem seal designs is evaluated on an oil-metering rate bench test to ensure an optimum oil-metering rate for the best valve train durability, oil consumption, and emissions balance.

• Compact design
• Minimal investment
• Eccentricity tolerant
• Fluoroelastomer sealing element
• Multiple rubber colors for product differentiation

Victor Reinz® Ring and Band Valve Seals. For automotive restorers and enthusiasts, our ring and band valve seals still provide the proper amount of lubrication between the valve stem and guide. Used in gasoline and diesel applications, these seals are ideal for engines originally produced without valve seals.

• Easy assembly
• Positive retention
• Packaging efficacy assembly
• Fluoroelastomer sealing element
• Multiple rubber colors for product differentiation

Victor Reinz® Integral Top Valve Seals. A popular choice among automotive OEMs, our integral top valve seals are manufactured using one-of-a-kind processes and techniques that allow us to produce a dependable, yet affordable product. We’ve reduced fluoroelastomer material cost with our top valve seal design to help you make the most out of every dollar.

• Improve oil economy
• Easily adapt to multiple engines
• Less costly than integral seals when a spring set is not needed
• Custom design solutions

Victor Reinz® Bonded Valve Seals. Allowing one seal to fit multiple engines, models, and families, our bonded valve seals provide OEMs with the versatility they need plus design simplicity. These seals are typically used for small engines and moderately boosted diesel engines with cast iron cylinder heads.

• One-piece construction
• Fluoroelastomer sealing element
• Superior oil metering and heat resistance
• Exclusive designs for high-port pressures

Victor Reinz® Integral Valve Seals. Integral seals are ideal for both aluminum cylinder heads and high manifold pressures. With our exclusive Allbond™ design specifically for high port pressure, blow-by and seal bursting issues are eliminated. A case hardened valve spring seat provides maximum protection for fragile aluminum.

Our proprietary fluoroelastomer compounds are mixed in-house and fully tested, allowing ultimate control over quality and performance. Each valve stem seal is taken through a state-of-the-art molding and assembly process. Every application uses custom designs and processes that best meet cost, performance, and timing goals. And, prototype and production parts are made in the same facility to ensure a smooth launch to high-volume production.

Victor Reinz® Thermal-Acoustical Protective Shielding (TAPS)

TAPS is a highly functional engine shielding component composed of various layers, each with a specific job to perform. These shields protect from extreme temperatures, suppress noise, and lower overall mass with the use of thinner materials, leading to improved fuel economy.

Victor Reinz® Sound Absorbing Heat Shield

Because controlling noise from the exhaust system and its components is a major concern with heat shielding, Dana® is constantly researching how materials can be paired together or developed in different ways to accomplish this goal.

• Outstanding noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) performance
• Superior durability, thermal protection, and safety
• High noise reduction solutions
• Five-layer shields: Increase thermal performance; Improve acoustic barrier properties

We offer two sound control heat shields – four/five-layer noise barrier shields and micro-perforated sound absorbing shields. Dana’s patented four- or five-layer NVH shields are available in aluminum, Alclad™ or stainless steel, and constructed with two insulating layers featuring an exclusive dimpled acoustic core to provide a sound barrier for engine noises. These barrier shields offer good broadband noise reduction for many different shielding applications.

Micro-perforated sound absorbing shields are also available, which can be tuned to absorb a specific range of frequencies. The micro-perforated layer, in conjunction with a special absorbing mat, are Dana® tuned to meet your noise reduction needs.

Victor Reinz® Direct Insulation Heat Shields

Dana® continuously develops shielding systems that meet the increasing demands of automotive OEMs. A team of in-house craftsmen can produce top-of-the-line products to cover any part with our proven manufacturing expertise.

• Reduce emissions with faster heat-up times
• Decouple the shield from the underlying component for improved noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH)
• Low mass to help reduce CO2 emissions
• High damping factor allows thinner metal selection

Victor Reinz® direct insulation heat shields are constructed with an aluminum or stainless-steel outer shell and insulated with a high-temperature fiber mat through fully automated forming processes. Popular on many diesel vehicles, our direct insulation heat shields can fully envelop exhaust components as needed.

Victor Reinz® Aluminum Heat Shields

Dana’s highly durable shielding systems offer premium thermal and acoustic protection for any installation location. Multiple functions can also be combined to further work toward boosting efficiencies and reducing emissions.

• Add lightness to vehicle
• Quiet isolators
• Special embossed aluminum adds stiffness and a high tech look
• Increase thermal performance

Victor Reinz® aluminum heat shields are constructed with wave embossments that enhance rigidity and durability. Special isolators, which reduce the transmission of heat and vibrations at the mounting points, allow the aluminum shields to be used directly on hot components. With a sleek new look, this low mass aluminum heat shield even absorbs wrinkles and creases.

Victor Reinz® Insulated and Damped Heat Shields

At Dana, we always provide individualized attention to meet your needs and develop shielding systems with technologically advanced materials.

• Thermal protection even when the shield has aged
• 40 percent mass reduction possible
• High damping value results in mass reductions, improved durability and reduced noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH)
• Thermally de-couple shields from heat source

To comply with the latest automotive emissions regulations, highly efficient Victor Reinz® insulated and damped heat shields provide protection for engine and exhaust system components with a Dana specified center layer and metal outer layers. The center layer is specially designed to offer outstanding thermal protection and damping for extreme temperature applications. The high damping value allows us to specify thinner metal layers while still offering outstanding durability. This helps reduce mass by up to 40 percent compared to conventional metal heat shields. The shield features fully hemmed edges to protect worker and technician safety. The hemmed edges also contain the insulation for the life of the shield and stiffen the outer edge.

Victor Reinz® Heat Shields with Integrated Gaskets

Vehicle areas with reduced vibration loads and moderate shielding demands – such as the underbody area or the bulkhead, but also the areas around the manifolds and turbochargers.

• Reduce assembly costs
• Fewer fasteners
• Lower complexity for the customer
• Improve acoustic barrier properties

Dana® is uniquely able to integrate shielding and sealing in one component. Dana® engineers can combine exhaust gaskets with heat shields to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers. We provide customized solutions that incorporate the necessary features required of shielding systems that seamlessly integrate into existing set ups. We also offer the industry’s best exhaust gasket coating, ThermoGlide® 1000, which improves sealability and allows the exhaust components to glide across the gasket, reducing cool-down noise and improving durability.