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A pressure test in Phoenix showed me why you can't trust old seals
We were checking a nav system on a Citation after a hot week on the ramp. A tiny, brittle O-ring on a static port line gave out during the test, causing a slow leak the gauge barely caught. How often do you guys actually replace those little seals as a matter of course, not just when they look bad?
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tylerj227mo ago
Replacing seals on a schedule is just asking for trouble. You end up fixing things that aren't broken and wasting money. A good visual check during regular maintenance is way more reliable than just swapping parts out. Those O-rings can last for years if they're kept clean and out of the sun.
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clark.alex7mo ago
But what about the cost of being wrong? A visual check can miss a tiny crack starting inside a folded seal. On something like a brake master cylinder, that tiny failure means no brakes when you need them. The repair bill then is huge compared to a three dollar seal you swapped at 60,000 miles. Sometimes the cheap part is the insurance.
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brianhill7mo ago
That's a solid point about the brake system. The cost of a tow and a full rebuild after a failure is way higher than a planned seal change. Some parts are just too critical to risk a visual check alone.
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