Reproduction Delco Energizer

[Unreal]

My NOS seal slants inward conically. I don't think it is installed wrong, (at least if it is, I can't see how) but I can't figure out how to make it shape kind of like a nuclear power plant cooling tower.

[njsteve]

I had the same seal you're talking about on my Z11. It was an NOS GM seal that tilted inwards instead of folding outwards. I was harassed all the time by poeple telling me it was upside down. I would even take it off and show them the mounting flange on the bottom to prove it was mounted correctly. I believe the problem was that GM went to a newer version of the seal in recent years that was markedly different than the original style.

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/show...8/fpart/1/vc/1

[m22mike]

Tommorrow I will try and post some pictures of my cowl seal I removed from my Black Camaro last winter, and what I did to " Train" it to open up. It is a nice little trick you can use next winter when you put Baby away. If you live in AZ or CA you may be SOL
Check back later for resto tip 101.5

Mike

[Kurt S]

Try the RediPulse by http://www.pulsetech.net/ on any battery: http://helios.pulsetech.net/cgi/hsrun.ex...mp;Itno=735X260

I did OEM alternators and batteries before and we used their battery testers, which is how I found out about the company. The science behind it is sound. It actually works.
The Delco in my BB was dead; it was 4-5 years old. This pulled it back and it's still in the car 4 years later.... Same with other batteries.
If the plates are too thin, when it removes the sulfates, a plates can break (you lose a cell and the voltage drops 2 volts). I've only had this happen with one brand of batteries (twice). Not the fault of the device, just a cheap battery design.

[Woj]

Buy the reproduction gel battery. I had a wet cell battery the puked out a bunch of acid a few years ago and unfortunately I didn't find it for a couple of days. Needless to say there was paint damage. Not worth keeping a wet cell in a restored car's engine compartment. Just my $.02 worth.

I didn't know about the battery cap maintenance that was referred to earlier.

Phil Woj.

[m22mike]

Ok, her goes. In response to NJ Steve and Unreal about NOS GM cowl induction seals slanting inwards. like this picture from Steves post









For the record, and this discussion, all referance is to a "GM" seal that is correctly installed and....GLUED IN PLACE...
I do not know if the same problem exists with other seals like Soft Seal. Anyway they look alot different and are harder.
I have never been able to figure out why some original cowl seals seem to look so good. Most likley the new GM seals we are getting now are a little different from assembly seals.
The following are a few steps I took on several cars I messed with, including mine.
I found it necessary to "Train" the seal. If it is a new project, you can do this to your seal and let it sit untill Baby is ready to drive or show. Or do this before putting her up for the year.

The square edge of that GM seal is ment to lock around the outside edge of the metal base.
That is the part the sticks out like a sore thumb when they are installed "Up side down", and usually there will be a Caution Fan Sticker nearby
The picture below is the underside of the base.



Make sure the seal is gluded in place well, all 360* of it. If you used rattle can bombs you may have trouble with the trim cement eating up your paint. I like the black trim addhesive.



Let the glue set for a few days if it is a new seal.
Next start pulling the top of the seal to the outer edge and fold it over on itself. Like in the picture. Grab enough of the seal when pulling on it, I tore one once by pinching just the lip.



Next, clamp the seal so it does not pop back off, be carefull if you use tape, use low tack stuff or wipe the good stuff across your pants.
A helper might work too. Good way to get the little lady involved Good luck with that.



Work, pull and fold the seal like this all the way around. and check it over to make sure it has not started to slip back on you. You should now be able to remove the clamp or tape. The seal should stay folded over.





This what it should look like from the top.



Now you can leave it dwell like this for X amount of time. May need to repeat this a few times.
Anyone else have any other tricks pleas chime in.

Mike

[Chevy454]

We went through all of this seal mumbo-jumbo recently on dad's LS6...first one we got felt like real rubber, but it was so stiff the hood wouldn't close...so we grabbed the flimsy *softer* foam feeling that's been on our Camaro for 10+ years, and it worked like a charm...so we got to looking, and a couple places offer 3 different seals, varying in the degree of "stiffness"...we ordered a GM seal from the local dealer, and it's the softer foamier type, and works like a charm.