rear main seal - IDI Engine - VWDiesel.net The IDI, TDI, and mTDI source.

• rear main seal by ffgb on 26 Apr, 2010 08:18
• I have a Sabo rear main seal that I am going to put in.  Is there any differences between rear main seal designs.  I cannot find victor reinz around me.  All the autoparts places have are fel-pro, is this a good brand.  How are Napa auto rear main seals?
• #1 by ffgb on 29 Apr, 2010 17:37
• I installed the rear main seal with the help of a cutoff top from a one-liter soda container.  I oiled the inside part of the seal, the outside of the plastic soda container, and the outside of the crankshaft flange where the seal will contact.  I put the soda container over the crankshaft flange and pressed the rear main seal over the container.  Half of the seal went in without the lip folding in towards the crankshaft because I made sure there was enough motor oil as lube and there is a taper or flair to the soda container pointing away from the crankshaft flange.  I then removed the the soda container and tapped evenly all the way around the seal to finally seat it flush.  Has anyone here installed a rear main seal correctly and still have it leak on them?  I ordered another seal and installation tool from Parts4vw.com, just in case there is an oil leak when I fire up my motor for the first time this saturday.  I am a little bit worried.
• #2 by ffgb on 29 Apr, 2010 18:28
• While sliding the seal over the soda container, there is a slight taper to the container which prevents the inside seal folding in towards the crankshaft.  The taper diameter slight increases as the seal is pressed in.  As soon as the seal was half way in, the soda container was pulled and I tapped the seal 360 degrees till it seated.
• #3 by Dakotakid on 29 Apr, 2010 19:39
• I always use a cottage cheese container to install these (much like you did) with lubricant. I have never had a problem.
  Your seal should be uniform in appearance the full 360. Apparently, yours does not? You were not able to get the outer sealing lip to settle out all the way around?
  Can you very carefully use a very small flat screwdriver (with lubrication) to assist in the sealing lips to come out? You would have to start at the point where it is still inner-folded and see it you can gently work them out. Something went wrong for you and I don't know if the lip will straighten out or not. Have you tried to turn the crankshaft from the other end and see if the lip will come into place?
• #4 by fatmobile on 29 Apr, 2010 20:10
• Quote

  I then removed the the soda container and tapped evenly all the way around the seal

  
  How do you know the seal was squarely on the crank?
  
  The seal carrier isn't square with the crank, so if you tapped it evenly,.. and flush with the surface of the seal carrier; there are strange forces on the seal.
• #5 by ffgb on 29 Apr, 2010 21:05
• The outer seal surface is uniform.  I know the seal carrier isn't necessarily square with the crank, but if I purchased the seal and seal carrier from the dealership already preinstalled, wouldn't be the same?  The only way that I can think of for the seal being installed squarely is a flat circle piece of stiff metal with holes drilled in that can be used as a press to squarely install the rear main seal, just like how it is installed in the bentley.  I was just wondering if anyone here who did install it correctly, and it looks correct visually, have had the rear main seal leak upon starting the motor or within a few miles or so of driving.
• #6 by Mark(The Miser)UK on 30 Apr, 2010 00:43
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  I think ffgb meant using his method, the seal went in to half its depth   without folding the lip back, and then completed the task by tapping lightly. He was just asking for a little reassurance on his technique IMO
• #7 by arb on 30 Apr, 2010 08:41
• Quote from: ffgb on 26 Apr, 2010 08:18

  are fel-pro, is this a good brand.  How are Napa auto rear main seals?
  

  
  I've always found fel-pro to be quality parts... I've never used a Napa main seal. You can't go wrong with victor reinz, so mail-order Reinz if you have the time.
• #8 by fatmobile on 30 Apr, 2010 10:34
• I'm not sure what they look like when the whole seal carrier is purchased, maybe they pressed it in square with the rear of the seal carrier, the machined surface that sits against the block (gasket).
   but I encourage everyone to take a look at the seal and see if it is sitting an even distance from the edge, all the way around.
   I have had slight leaks, even when pressing the seal in with an old pressure plate that has been cut dow,... and a washer to countersink it.
  
  Sometimes the seal has worn a ridge into the crank, it can be hard to seal on this area.
   Best solution is a speedy sleeve.
  
  Seating the seal to a deeper depth or maybe a seal that is meant to ride elsewhere, are other options.
  
  

  Quote

  I always use a cottage cheese container to install these

  That's crazy, anything but a sour cream container is just wrong.
   Actually wish they'd put good ice cream in those plastic pints, I'd have some spares. I might have to take another look in the ice cream isle, my sour cream pint is all bent up,.. abused by other specialty tools in the box.
• #9 by theman53 on 30 Apr, 2010 15:34
• I don't understand this. How are you installing this? From what I gather you cannot just push it on? Please school me as I will be doing this soon.