General instructions Safety rules for Fluorocarbon rubber Fluorocarbon rubbers are commonly used materials in seal rings on shafts, O-rings etc. When flourocarbon rubber compounds are exposed to high temperatures (above 300° C), hydrofluoric acid can be formed, which is highly corrosive. Skin contact can cause severe chemical burns. If it splashes in your eyes, this can cause severe chemical burns. If you breathe the fumes, you can suffer lung and bron- chial injury. WARNING! Be very careful when working on en- gines which have been exposed to high tempera- tures, such as overheating caused by a seizure or fire.
Seals must never be cut with a flame torch during disassembly, or burned in uncon- trolled circumstances afterwards. Always use chloroprene rubber gloves (gloves for chemicals handling) and goggles. Handle the removed seal in the same way as corro- sive acid. All residues, including ash, can be strongly corrosive. Never use compressed air to blow components clean. Put the remains in a plastic container, seal it and apply a warning label. Wash the gloves under run- ning water before you take them off. The following seals are most probably made from fluo- rocarbon rubber: Seal rings for crankshafts, camshafts, countershafts. O-rings, irrespective of where they are installed.
O- rings for cylinder liner sealing are almost always made of fluorocarbon rubber. Please note that seals which have not been expo- sed to high temperature can be handled normally. 8 45