TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Nov 26, 2003 5:57 pm

To make a long story short, the flywheel finally seal blew today and oil is coming out of the top inspection hole on the engine side. Take a look at the puddle.

I'm living in an apartment right now and I could use the assistance of some local bus folks. None of the garages in my complex are available right now and I'm in need of some driveway space to get this done.

I have all of the tools and parts (except a new dial indicator but I'll be getting that beforehand) so I'm pretty much self-service.

Wed Nov 26, 2003 9:44 pm

Do flywheel seals ( front main seal, or little o-ring job?) "blow"? Most sudden oil leaks in that area suggest a gallery plug. And with the aerodynamics of those flywheel teeth blowing oil all over, it can be damn difficult to ascertain the exact source of a sudden oil leak. Or did your seal, like, fall out?
Colin

Wed Nov 26, 2003 11:45 pm

For one thing I don't hear anything clanking around while the engine is idling in neutral. Second, the oil pressure is still good.

I don't know why the seal decided to fail. Contamination from the last engine pull? Endplay pounding the seal? Who knows. All I know is that it was a non-Viton seal installed 35k ago and now it's leaking.

Thu Nov 27, 2003 12:14 am

Hey ratt, how do you do those cool links to your pics?

Wow, good luck, I mean I hope you get a space to do the pull/ seal job, I know it won't take you but a few hours at most, unless you have some other maint planned.

Thu Nov 27, 2003 9:35 am

Make sure you check the flywheel for a groove worn in it where the seal seats while you have it out. Good luck.

Thu Nov 27, 2003 11:15 am

try contacting the road relics vw club, I'm sure they will be able to help ya out with some garage space. I myself live in the bay area, and have the same apt problem, it sucks not having my workshop anymore!

http://www.road-relics.com/

Thu Nov 27, 2003 2:00 pm

Set a date and you can use my garage ( Valley Springs 100 miles away) or my Mom in San Jose will let us work at her place if we can do it in 1 day. She was a PCA member and is used to me working on cars there. :^)

Sat Nov 29, 2003 4:18 pm

I received some advice that it's probably a good idea to replace the oil gallery plugs with threaded inserts that take the allen key head.

Colin, when you blew you plug in texas did you replace it or tap it for a threaded insert. How many plugs are back there and what are the sizes?