No, I didn't say or mean say that at all. The felt washer is readily
available. There is a small retainer that is pressed into the center of
the flywheel. This retainer has a lip which secures the felt seal
between itself and the face of the crankshaft. The retainer is not
available although one could be made from some oil-lite or bronze
material. The Beck Arnley pilot bearing can be used but either the
flywheel or crankshaft has to be modified for it to work.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Stan Wilder [mailto:wilden1-1@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 8:21 PM
To: Dennis Haynes; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Re: Felt washer in flywheel, make your own? ... and more

I think you just said that the seal doesn't work!
Is that what you said???
------------------
It's a non critical part ........... run without it.

Stan Wilder

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dennis Haynes" <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 5:42 PM
Subject: Re: Felt washer in flywheel, make your own? ... and more

> The felt washer is available for about $1.00 from the dealer. The
> problem is the retainer if it is lost or worn. One option is to get
the
> pilot bearing from Beck Arnley. Theirs is a little bit longer but
> includes an actual seal. You will have to bore out the center of the
> flywheel or grind the step out of the crank bore to use it though due
to
> the increased length.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
Behalf
> Of Mike Collum
> Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 1:23 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Felt washer in flywheel, make your own? ... and more
>
> I developed a problem over the winter with the rear of the westy being
> covered with oil with what appeared to be a corresponding drop in
engine
> oil
> level.  I kept the engine oil topped up, but, at highway speeds
> especially,
> the oil mist to the rear must've been nasty for tailgaters.  I had a
> shuddering clutch when I bought the van but the clutch didn't slip any
> until
> after the oil leak showed up.  Then it only slipped when under greater
> than
> normal load.
>
> Anyway, I found an oily mess in the clutch housing ... but not on the
> engine
> side of the flywheel where I expected to see it.  The transmission's
> mainshaft is badly scored where it rides in the pilot bearing and I'll
> be
> replacing the shaft and seal.
>
> All but one of the flywheel bolts came out without a problem, but one
> was
> really buggered up to start with (looks like someone tried to remove
it
> and
> gave up).  No way was an Allen driver going to grab in this one.
Well,
> a
> Craftsman "Bolt Out" #12 did the trick.  By the way, instead of a
> flywheel
> lock, I just inserted a Phillips head screwdriver through one of the
> pressure plate holes ... through the hole in the engine case and it
did
> the
> job nicely.
>
> I found the pilot bearing to be intact.  All the rollers were in place
> but
> not well lubricated.  The felt washer and its retainer were missing
> which
> brings me to a question.
>
> Can a felt washer be fabricated to do the job of the original?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mike
> Houlton, Maine
> '85 Westy 4 spd
> '84 7 pass auto