Following a extended mechanical shakedown the other day two faults have shone through. The crank oil seal seems to be leaking a puddle about the size of a couple of 50p pieces everytime I stop and the clutch has become increasingly weak potentially linked to the first fault.... There's excess free play in the clutch cable so it could be an adjustment that's needed but if it's covered in oil anyway and I have to take it appart to sort out the leaking oil seal, I may as well crack on! So here's my question, with the tinware out of the way is there sufficient clearance to pull the engine off the gearbox spline lower the motor on the floor then pull it further rearwards enough to swap out the clutch and rear oil seal without having to jack up the van and fully remove the motor? I ask as I have limited space in my garage and need to either do the whole job in a day outside ( my insurance stipulates it must be garaged between 2200-0700 if at home ) or do it a little slower in the garage..... I have to do it this weekend coming or put it to a garage as I need the van operational and reliable for the weekend of 2nd of July....
It's not slipping, it's just becoming increasingly difficult to pull away smoothly without judder.... the oil leak however is equally critical - not from a van perspective but its destroying my drive.... If I get the motor off and find the clutch has plenty of meat on it then I'll return the clutch..... the oil seal though that needs done!
Equally however when I removed the lump 15years ago I did it on a 4 post lift and lowered the engine onto a trolley thene removed the bolts pulled it off the spline and raised the van up out of the way. I recall it taking me a couple of hours to pull it...... I think..... how long for so one of a reasonable skill level does it take for motor out clutch and seal change and back in? If it can be done in 6-8hrs I'll just crack on outside and there will be no issues..
There's a good chance as I'm sure my Dad would have replaced the clutch when the new engine went in..... which is about 14yrs and 1k miles ago....
Whilst anything's possible I think it would be an unnecessary struggle to get the clutch off and change the oil seal with the engine under an un jacked up van. Engine out in less than hour fairly easy, fixed and back in in the other 5/7 no problem if you don't get distracted by the other jobs that you'll find
Do you know what size the clutch is? Yes you can do it without removing the engine from the engine bay. Not fun. Can you jack the back up at all in the garage?
Standard AD twin port so I'm expecting 200mm. I have 5mm clearance between the garage door and the van roof so not worth trying. What's the not fun bits Zedders?
What engine is it? If it's a type one it might be an idea to check the end float before pulling the engine Excessive end float will just hammer a new crank seal Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It was a new motor 14 years ago, but it never turned a wheel until Feb this year. It's done around 1k miles, no end float at all.
Er, doing the job squeezed under the van with poor access, having to shimmy in and out for every tool etc etc. If you're confident you have the parts you'll need It's easy to do in half a day if you at least jack the back up, that allows you to spin the engine round a bit more.
It sounds like you have a good idea about what to do ...i don't know why you seem reluctant to take the engine out ...it is so much easier . Pick a good day be prepared , have a plastic sheet if it drags on for what ever reason .
Don't forget that to change the oil seal, you'll need to have they flywheel off, which means swinging on a gert big breaker bar if it's a type 1. I wouldn't think you could do it without the engine out with room to work.
The judder will prob be oil contamination ... i would change clutch regardless of what it looks like if engine is out ...you don't wanna do it again .
