Dave
I am confidant that the continuing flywheel seal problems are one in the
same and unfortunately only time will tell for sure.
to make this a true test you need to change one thing at a time so dont
change the flywheel unless you have a good reason to.

Now you say the front pulley seal was shredded and it is a syncro. I have
seen more than once a non syncro seal installed with a
pulley that still has a syncro seal ( lip)  on it. This eats the seal as the
pulley is installed

Call me again if you feel the need

going faster miles an hour with the radio on
I remain

Bob Donalds
Boston Engine

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Shepherdson" <shepherdsond@METRO.DST.OR.US>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2005 4:00 PM
Subject: Failed Crankshaft seal - 5th time!

>I posted a message a couple of weeks ago asking for information about
> installing an oil seal that had failed again after only 3k miles.  I got
> some great feedback, especialy from Bob Donalds about the importance of
> oil seal thickness.  They are speced at 10mm deep but it seems that most
> of the ones for sale are actualy 12mm deep. Following Bob's advise I
> have trimmed a new oil seal to the correct thickness and installed it (I
> also installed a  new pulley wheel crankshaft seal as that was total
> shredded also) but I have not yet installed the engine back into the van
> (an 87 Syncro), I was planning to do that this weekend.  BUT, last night
> I was tidying up my files and I came accross all the PO's receipts for
> the van which I thought I had lost.  On inspection it would appear that
> this engine (which was installed in 1998 about 60k miles ago) has had 5
> oil seals replaced if you include the two that I have done - almost one
> every 10k miles!.  Now I am concerned that something strange and serious
> must be wrong with the engine but I have no clue what it could be as it
> appears to run perfectly well (no undue vibration) and I checked the
> endfloat which appears to be right on spec.  The only thing I think to
> do right now before I put the engine back in is try putting on another
> flywheel that I have as a spare and hoping that that might somehow have
> been the problem.  Any ideas??
> Many Thanks,
> David
>