Seal Best Of 1991 Rare
Seal Best Of 1991 Rare

Different than other seals in the engine, valve stem seals play an important role in lubrication. Valve stem seals allow a controlled amount of oil to lubricate the valve stem as it moves in the valve guide. The amount of oil that passes by the valve stem seal must be precisely controlled. Too little oil causes stem and guide wear; too much oil causes carbon buildup leading to valve seat damage, decrease in volumetric efficiency, increased emissions, catalytic converter degradation and excessive oil consumption.

The best way to prove that you’ve got a rear main seal leak is the check if the engine side of the flexplate or flywheel is oily. If the rear main seal is leaking on your engine it will drip oil onto the flexplate or flywheel and sling oil around the bellhousing. In Seal’s case, it also resulted in permanent hair loss. The 55-year-old father of four contracted DLE when he was only 23, and though his disease has been in remission for years, the scarring.

Stem Seal Designs

There are two basic stem seal designs - deflector and positive seals.

Fel-Pro® Valve Stem Seals

Fel-Pro engineers analyze the OE design for every application. The OE design is tested and benchmarked. Based on the analysis, we determine the material used, considering the durometer (relative hardness) of the rubber, temperature requirements (both extreme heat and extreme cold), resistance to common oil types, tear-resistance and leak rate.

Seal Best Of 1991 Rare

This type of analysis makes one thing clear, not all valve stem seals are created equal. Visually, a lower-quality seal may look very similar to a high-quality seal that’s appropriate for a given engine platform. However, a lower-quality seal with insufficient heat-resistance will harden and crack prematurely and will not work as intended.

You can count on Fel-Pro to use the right material for each application. Fel-Pro uses a variety of materials including nylon, PTFE, rubber, steel and synthetic rubber or some combination of these. FKM, fluoroelastomer, is used in many Fel-Pro valve stem seals for hotter-running, late-model vehicles. It is often combined with a metal jacket or covering that totally surrounds the FKM positive seal. FKM offers excellent resistance to both heat (up to 450°F) and abrasion.

Installation Tool

On some applications, the valve stem seals are interchangeable between the intake and exhaust valves and will look exactly the same. On applications which use different seals on the intake and exhaust valves, due to needing higher temperature material on the exhaust side or different design, the seals will be bagged and labeled appropriately.

An installation tool is included in Fel-Pro valve stem seal (VS) sets. This tool is a thin plastic sleeve which is placed over the tip of each valve stem during installation. It protects the inner lip of the seal from damage by the lock grooves in the valve stem.

Learn more about Fel-Pro quality gaskets that are specifically designed for the repair environment, find your car part, or find where to buy your auto part today.

The content contained in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be used in lieu of seeking professional advice from a certified technician or mechanic. We encourage you to consult with a certified technician or mechanic if you have specific questions or concerns relating to any of the topics covered herein. Under no circumstances will we be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any content.

We’re all familiar with English singer and songwriter Seal’s buttery smooth vocals from his hit songs like “Kiss From a Rose,” “Killer” and “Future Love Paradise.” Between selling over 20 million albums worldwide, his fame as TV judge on shows such as “American Idol” and “The Voice Australia,” and his previous marriage to model Heidi Klum, Seal has been in the public eye since the early 1990s.

Rumors About Scars Have Persisted

His unique facial scars have also been in the public eye for decades — and they’ve been the source of plenty of rumors. Some have speculated that they’re tribal ritual scars or that they resulted from a horrific accident, both of which are incorrect.

Here’s the real story: The facial scarring is a result of a skin condition known as discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE).

What Is Discoid Lupus Erythematosus

DLE is a form of lupus and a chronic skin condition characterized by sores, inflammation and scarring. Often the scarring is found on the face, ears and scalp. In Seal’s case, it also resulted in permanent hair loss.

The 55-year-old father of four contracted DLE when he was only 23, and though his disease has been in remission for years, the scarring is permanent. Actually, the scars aren’t from the disease itself, but instead the treatment of it, which can include coritsone (steroid) ointments or injections.

“These lesions develop as a red, inflamed patch with a scaling and crusty appearance. The center areas may appear lighter in color with a rim darker than the normal skin,” according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD). This condition can also lead to internal organ damage, which can lead other illnesses.

According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, the exact cause of DLE is unknown, “but it is thought to be autoimmune with the body’s immune system incorrectly attacking normal skin.” Bj alex chapter 6.

The National Resource Center On Lupus reports that up to 10 percent of people with DLE develop lupus in other areas of the body.

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Scars Led To Depression For Star

Seal, whose real name is Henry Olusegun Adeola Samuel, has opened up in interviews about living with the aftermath of DLE, saying it has made him a stronger person, despite being a source of depression when he was young.

However, the singer also has likely used his life struggles, including a difficult childhood and his health, as inspiration in his music career. He also has said that he has grown to love the scars.

“I believe that in all forms of art there has to have been some initial adversity: that is what makes art, as far as I’m concerned,” Seal told The New York Times back in 1996. “And it’s not something you outlive: once you experience it, it’s always with you. It forms part of your makeup; probably it’s the reason for your makeup.”

Currently, there’s no cure for lupus, so if you’re feeling symptoms such as fever, hair loss, swollen joints, rash or problems with your kidneys or thyroid, be sure to check in with your doctor.

Seal Best Of 1991 Rare

Today, about 5 million people, including celebrities Nick Cannon, Toni Braxton and Selena Gomez, live with lupus.

In September, Gomez revealed on Instagram that she had undergone a kidney transplant. The pop star needed the transplant due to complications from lupus, the chronic autoimmune disease from which she suffers. So her best friend, actress Francia Raisa, donated one of her kidneys.