Abstract: A seal cartridge for a face seal comprising an annular housing having an inner and outer wall and a back wall; a seal ring composite in said housing; a first resilient member disposed between said housing and said seal ring composite for providing an axial bias on said seal ring composite, said seal ring composite including a support shell and a sealing insert supported in said shell for providing a primary seal with a rotor; a second resilient member disposed between said seal ring composite and one of said inner and outer walls for providing a secondary seal; a rotor in said housing, said rotor having a sealing ring groove between said rotor and a shaft to be engaged, said groove having an inner end and an outer end; and a sealing ring disposed in said groove, said groove having a width at its inner end approximately equal to or less than the width of said sealing ring and a width at its outer end confronting the shaft greater than the width of said sealing ring for sealing the rotor to the shaft and inhibi