Bad front seal?

[Karzapart55]

my 72 1700 leaks quit badly. It was rebuit last year, now the engine is covered with oil. I pulled the engineand trans together. there was some oil laying in the bell housing. I pulled the flywheel, but the seal looks intact. the flywheel looks smooth. How bad would the seal have to be for it to leak badly. Today im going to strip it down to the long block, and check theoil cooler. Any way to pressurize the block to check for leaks? Thanks

[ccpalmer]

If there's oil (and NOT tranny fluid) in the bellhousing the front seal is likely the culprit. Plus, if you have any doubts on it and your engine is out you might as well put a new seal in. You can't tell by looking at it if it's good or not.
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'71 Westy

[Karzapart55]

both front and rear seals on order from Bus Depot. Has anyone ever pressurized their block to check for leaks?

[ccpalmer]

[nathansnathan]

I just went in over new years, determined to fix this problem. The CB case had been freshly aligned at rimco, crank checked and polished, new bearings, .004 end play, I think it was a reinz seal, the orange one, installed flush. Changed out the flywheel gasket, polished the flywheel seal area to 900 grit and it still leaked like mad.

This time I got the thicker brazillian vanagon elring, I think, seal. Also, I don't trust the flywheel seals and I used curil k2 on the torque surface and below the crush gasket, too. So far, I'm impressed.

This is on my type 4, now 1800 with flycut 1700 412 heads with vent tubes, aa p&c, type 4 store breather between the bus breather and dell drla 40 air filter lids. I've never been able to keep it dry before but it seems to be holding, no drips.