Steam dome seal

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jlakes85
Posts: 228
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:07 am

Re: Steam dome seal

Post by jlakes85 »

I went through several cycles of anneal, fit/tighten e.t.c. on the corrugated copper gasket. I was also able to mark file the dome flange a lot closer than then original 0.010, but I'm still getting leaks at 130 psi air. Should I use a garlok type material in addition to the copper gasket?
dash9
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:02 pm
Location: Barnesville , PA
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Re: Steam dome seal

Post by dash9 »

The problem with copper gaskets is once tightened and removed there Junk. Try a new gasket.
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Greg_Lewis
Posts: 3014
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2003 2:44 pm
Location: Fresno, CA

Re: Steam dome seal

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Jlakes85:

Skip the copper. Go to a good auto parts store and get some Fel-Pro Karropak 1/16-inch thick gasket material and order some Key graphite paste from McMaster. Slather the gasket and the dome bolt threads with the paste and you'll be all set.
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
jlakes85
Posts: 228
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:07 am

Re: Steam dome seal

Post by jlakes85 »

Hi Greg,

Sounds good. My previous workaround with permatex ultra copper was fine at 130 psi air, but quickly broke down under hydrostatic testing. I'm hoping this will finally do the trick
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Greg_Lewis
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Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2003 2:44 pm
Location: Fresno, CA

Re: Steam dome seal

Post by Greg_Lewis »

j:
You might want to soak the gasket material in some oil to soften it up. The 1/16 thick stuff will certainly take up any mismatch in your flanges if they are as close as you say they are. The graphite paste will help seal but also allow you to remove the dome cover without destroying the gasket, and it will keep the bolt threads from seizing up.
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
jlakes85
Posts: 228
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:07 am

Re: Steam dome seal

Post by jlakes85 »

I got a hold of some garlok 9850 1/32 thick gasket material and mounted it after one last pass on the dome flange with bluing and a file. Everything looks good at 130 psi air. My only remaining concern is that some of the flange screws have loctite 567 sealer on the threads, which are through hole. Does this stuff hold up to hydrostatic pressure, or should I save myself some embarrassment and wrap all of the screws in Teflon tape before attempting a hydro?
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