Changing crank rear oil seal

Gary71 · Post by **Gary71** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 1:04 pm

This is a job I need to tackle this winter, or rather just a good excuse to pull the lump out and to repair / paint the engine bay...

Has anyone here completed this (outside of a complete rebuild) and do you have any hints / tips? Does the flywheel normally come off easily after 30+years? Tips for getting the seal out cleanly? Likelyhood of sucessfully curing this oil leak?!

My engine trolley is under construction as we speak....

Thanks

Kurt V · Post by **Kurt V** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 3:12 pm

Once the engine is out this is a fairly easy repair. Biggest problem is getting out the old flywheel bolts. The use a 12 point socket to remove them. Make sure you clean out all the crud that is residing inside the top of the 12 point bolts before trying to remove them. When installing the new flywheel seal make sure is sits flush with the case. You can actually push it in farther, but flush is the correct position.

Gary71 · Post by **Gary71** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 10:05 pm

Thanks for the tips, I will report back!

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 7:15 pm

Just done this, which is embarrasing as the engine has run for about 30 mins since a rebuild. Turns out that I had managed to get the seal slightly cocked when clamping up the crankcase

Anyway, as Kurt says watch those 12 spliners, also if the 6mm Allen head bolts that hold the clutch strip, don't panic, you can grind them (carefully!) then when the clutch cover is off you can easily undo them with grips - no tension on them now of course. If you use one of the old 6mm allen bolts back in its hole you can put an old ring spanner between that and a gearbox mount stud to lock the flywheel whilst undoing the flywheel bolts. The flywheel bolts are stretched on first use, so should be replaced, as should the clutch bolts ideally. Two trains of thought on the seal - some say just tap in with a little grease, some say use silicon sealant as a lube - I used grease and its now fine.

Airhead · Post by **Airhead** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 9:22 am

Never done this on a porsche engine but loads of VWs. Make sure you also grease the inner edge of the seal otherwise a new seal if installed dry will be damaged by friction during startup before any oil gets to the area. A bit of a headache if you change the seal and it still leaks from day one

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 8:33 pm

Yep, good point, I was indeed talking about the outside of the seal (grease/silicon), but did in fact lube the inner (oil I think): I'll grease it in the future

. No oil leaks yet though

.