Well I think I might hate my bus just a tiny bit tonight. I did a 12 hour day on Saturday and Sunday last weekend taking the engine and gearbox out to do tons of different jobs including gearshift bushes, fuel breathers, repaired tin, flywheel oil seal and lots more. I then discovered the steering drag link ball joint gaiters were shot so bought a new drag link. Boy did the old one take some removing. Broke one splitter, bought two more, bashing, heat and graft got it off and new one fitted. I also worked till 10 pm after work on Monday and Wednesday to finish everything and then a couple of hours tonight. Drove the bus tonight and the steering and gearshift are fantastic. Parked up and noticed THE FLYWHEEL OIL SEAL IS B%^&*Y LEAKING. I am so *******ed off I can barely speak.
Did you check the surface on the flywheel for a groove? Did you replace the o-ring? Are you sure it's not Gearbox oil?
I suspect O ring. No I didn't replace the O ring but I think I am going to as soon as I have recovered from the hangover I am working on at the moment. I think I mentioned "don't finish jobs when you are tired" on another post. My Dad and I stood back at 8:30pm on Sunday with the engine in after two 12 hour days, walked into the house for a beer and spotted in my "to fit" box the O ring and thought "Oh well I am sure the old one will be OK". Apparently not. I am currently thinking through which of my mates I want to rope in to pull the engine again. Not sure I can break the news to my Dad.
Good plan. This will be the third time I have pulled it so I sort of know what to expect I guess. Slowly but surely my bus is getting pretty good. I could not believe how much better the steering is with the new drag link. I thought I was being a lazy arse buying a new link when I could have just replaced the gaiters on the old one as the ball joints felt fine but it is SO much better. Zed, thanks for replying with positive ideas. I was feeling pretty hacked of earlier and you just have to sort it out an have another go. Thanks, and I mean it.
I did the exact same last week - I'd even prised the old o-ring out, but luckily realised before I put the engine back in when I saw it sitting there in it's packet. Must have been distracted by the phone.
aaagh i feel your pain fella.... what a shocker.... at least you have sorted some things... is it easier to remove the gearbox ..? ....i suppose not if you need to remove the flywheel..
Mate ,we all done that, mine? I was adjusting the bearings on a car ,years ago, mother called me to come get a coffee she had prep"d for me ,so ,into house I went and drank coffee ,exited house got in car ,and set off ,completely forgetting to properly /finish adjusting the bearings ,i.e. I"d locked them max tight pre coffee and , yup ,left them so ! one mile along road the stub axle sheered off taking wheel ,braking system ,the bloody lot ,leaving me on the hard shoulder sans one corner and ,oh yeah no ,Ins. or mot ! cos I"d forgot, as I depressingly did, when I was a "young turk "
I am feeling quite a lot more positive already and I am not even *******ed yet. Sunday appears to be "engine out" day. It had better be "engine in" day too as Monday is my wedding anniversary and we are supposed to be going camping next weekend.
I have been in this state. In my case the leak was both the o ring inside the flywheel rim and the fact I had not pushed the oil seal in far enough . Should go in 2 mm into the engine...if using a big washer type seal fitting tool take the dowel pins out of the end of the crankshaft or it will not push it in far enough.. And make sure it is in square. I went back to check mine 2 weeks ago while reassembling the engine took the clutch and flywheel off again, straightened up oil seal with a mallet on the insertion tool. Put gland nut on finger tight before a coffee break ... put clutch on and refitted engine. Drove 50 miles. Was ok at 65 mph but clattered badly in traffic queues.. thought I had done in clutch release bearing... amazingly it did not leak oil badly despite the 2mm endfloat and the wobbly flywheel. I now have an 8 dowel flywheel new shims and a new oil seal. Was shown the whole thing done up tight with loctite before taking the engine home to fit it again... A £320 coffee break..
I put my engine in to find I had put the throttle tube in backwards through the fanshroud. Had to take it part out again just to turn the bloody thing round.
zed, just to make sure I do it right this time, the new oil seal pushed in pretty easily and sat perfectly square against a lip inside the "orifice" meaning that it was maybe 2mm back from being flush with the surface of the crankcase. Is that right or should it have been flush? it's a type 4 1800 by the way. The old one was at a slight angle when I first took the flywheel off. Also I went to my local motor factor (I mean a proper one not Halfrauds) to get sealant for the oil seal and they advised not to use any. Should I have and if I so what is best? Also does the o ring go in dry or lubed? thanks again
Push the seal right in until it sits on the shoulder inside the case - about 2mm as said above. Put the o-ring in dry, then lube it before reassembly. Lube the seal and the flywheel surface too or it'll spoil as soon as you start her up. No sealant required, though it wouldn't hurt if the seal is a loose fit, though too late if it's fitted unless you have a spare. Same for o-ring. If I were doing it "again" after your initial failure I'd be tempted by some sealant - belt and braces - you don't want to be doing this a third time in as many weeks!
Thanks Zed, I am going to try to sort some sealant today. fortunately I ordered up all the bits I had used as soon as I finished the job last weekend so already have a new seal, locking washer for flywheel bolts etc. Curil K2 and Permatex seem hard to get. Are there any that a local motor factor might carry that would work?
