Is this why my DMH cutout is leaking?
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TECH Fanatic
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Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Mechanicsville, VA
Is this why my DMH cutout is leaking? I have had a leaky sound coming from my DMH cutout and I noticed that if you push the button to close it, it'll seal up nice and tight, no leak... then as soon as you let off the switch it makes the leaky sound. So I took the cutout off the car to see if there's anything obviously wrong with it... there were a few screws that I snugged up but then I noticed that there is this rubber-ish ring that is almost entirely missing from a groove down inside the cutout where the butterfly valve shuts. I picked the remaining bits of the ring out and took a picture of them. Is there supposed to be a ring all the way around that groove to keep the butterfly sealed, and because it was almost all gone from mine is why it leaked?
TECH Resident
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 856
Likes: 2
From: Elizabeth City NC
I have had a leaky sound coming from my DMH cutout and I noticed that if you push the button to close it, it'll seal up nice and tight, no leak... then as soon as you let off the switch it makes the leaky sound. So I took the cutout off the car to see if there's anything obviously wrong with it... there were a few screws that I snugged up but then I noticed that there is this rubber-ish ring that is almost entirely missing from a groove down inside the cutout where the butterfly valve shuts. I picked the remaining bits of the ring out and took a picture of them. Is there supposed to be a ring all the way around that groove to keep the butterfly sealed, and because it was almost all gone from mine is why it leaked?
The rubber I think is for sound deadening, in playing
with some cutout actuator alternatives I found that
unless you get into a real tight gear-bind the plate
will rattle or buzz and be pretty noisy.
with some cutout actuator alternatives I found that
unless you get into a real tight gear-bind the plate
will rattle or buzz and be pretty noisy.
I run a 4" QTP cutout and after awhile, the blade would not seal perfectly and rattle a bit.
The only fix I could come up with was to put a really thin uniform line of high temp red rtv spread evenly with your finger on the edge of the blade that closes against the housing. Clean it good with brake clean first and allow the rtv to dry. Then close it and it keeps it sealed and from rattling. Lasts about 1 season, but it works.
Mine happened when I was opening the cutout one day and held the switch for 5 seconds until fully opened. I looked away since I heard it was fully open. 30-40 seconds later I look back down at the center console and the damn switch was stuck running the motor the whole time. I pay attention now.
The only fix I could come up with was to put a really thin uniform line of high temp red rtv spread evenly with your finger on the edge of the blade that closes against the housing. Clean it good with brake clean first and allow the rtv to dry. Then close it and it keeps it sealed and from rattling. Lasts about 1 season, but it works.
Mine happened when I was opening the cutout one day and held the switch for 5 seconds until fully opened. I looked away since I heard it was fully open. 30-40 seconds later I look back down at the center console and the damn switch was stuck running the motor the whole time. I pay attention now.
On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 118
Likes: 4
I recently had the same problem with my DMH cutouts. I called them and they said it sounded like a motor issue so they said they would send me out new motors at no cost. They were very helpful. We'll see when the motors get here...
