TheSamba.com :: View topic - info: a word on how deep to set in the main seal

Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:55 pm

2.1 WBX
How far should the main seal be placed into the case? I noticed this question unanswered deep in the forums while searching for this very information. All I could find was a mention by tencentlife in a somewhat unrelated post describing the different seals and their merits vs. disadvantages. Tencent mentioned that “when the seal bottoms out” and that led me to believe that it is countersunk beneath even with the case. Then I stumbled on this video by Boston Bob (if you are doing a main seal you should look at a this video linked below) thanks to him and his staff…

http://www.bostig.com/files/bostonbob&bostig-proper_wbxflywheel_install.wmv

The seal is countersunk (relative to the circular edge of the case surrounding it) and from what I gather, it should bottom out.

Check the endplay or beware,
Jeremy

Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:22 pm

Back in early May, I dropped the tranny, clutch, flywheel, etc., and installed a new main seal in my '84 1.9 WBX. Before I did the work, I pressure washed the engine and tranny. To this day, my engine is not leaking oil from the main, about 2700 miles!

As with my '83 2.0 air cooled engine and many Beetles, I tap the seal in until it is flush with the case. Then I smear a little axle grease (little) on the sealing surface of the flywheel....... to lube it until the oil pressure takes over.

Also, while in there, don't forget to dab a little grease on the end of the pilot shaft (pilot bearing in the end of the crank needs a little grease)

Hope this is helpful!

Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:36 am

I also make mine flush with the case, no deeper. Works for me. Am I doing something wrong?

I haven't watched the whole Boston Bob video yet because it's so long, but I'll be sure to watch it before I undertake another rebuild.

Tue Aug 19, 2008 10:33 am

The mainseal on a 2.1 should be driven in until it bottoms out. That is so it retains the odd-shaped square-holed shim, which retains the wider round shim, which is the first shim in the pack and retains the thrust plate. It's all a stack, and the cap on it is the body of the mainseal.

Yes, it is all held in place by the flywheel when it is on, even if you don't bottom out the seal, but as Bob points out in the video, if the seal isn't bottomed and you take the flywheel off, the shim pack can slip forward and the thrust plate slip out of place.

Is this a case where VW actually designed for repair service? Wow.