Key to setting the flywheel end main seal is getting the case mating area
very clean and grease free. I normally set my seals with non hardening
permatex and measure around the perimeter of the seal to be sure the seal is
equally seated all around at the proper recess depth.
At this point in your engine maintenance I'd be looking for crankcase
pressure as part of the cause.
Run a compression check.
Sometimes you can drop an inverted Dixie Cup over the oil fill tube and run
the engine rpms up to about 3000. If the crankcase pressure blows the cup
off then you got too much crankcase pressure.
If you notice your dipstick backing out of it's tube after a highway run it
could be crankcase pressure too.

Stan Wilder

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of ROBERT DONALDS
Sent: Sunday, March 21, 2004 8:31 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Aircooled Rear main seal

David
The latest batch of red silicone seals I bought are to tall and can not be
countersunk into the case. This taller seal is to close to the radius of the
flywheel and  rubs against the the flywheel and  has been know to come out
of place if it heats up from the fricton. The seal can also be distorted by
the radius and not sitting correctly on the intended part of the seal
surface.   I recently installed one in a lower end I was assembling and the
crank did not want to turn as freely it had when I checked the end play
without the seal in place. I removed the seal and the engine agian turned
freely.  Replacing the seal with the engine assembled would not give you a
chance to feel the ressistance that the taller seal had. I assume that the
leak did stop for a while ?
Hope this helps
Bob Donalds
Boston Engine

----- Original Message -----
From: "David and Shirin" <daveshirin@ENERGYUNITED.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, March 21, 2004 12:34 AM
Subject: Aircooled Rear main seal

I have a 1982 Westy and recently replaced the rear main seal and o-ring on
the flywheel.  Now it seems to be leaking again.  I used a silicone seal
instead of a normal one, Aircooled.net listed it as appropriate and it
looked and fit just as one would expect.  Does anyone have experience with
this type of rear main seal?

David

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