ok so i decided to remove the sleeve for the syncro seal off the
pulley. I purchased a 2wd seal for $8... put it all back together
tonight, ran the van for a bit... all looks good..

I have also decided that i can't be bothered to check the end play or
blow by because i do not plan on using a wbx'r much longer.. most
likely going with a subie 2.5

thanks for all your help and replies!
J
On 20-Sep-10, at 8:37 AM, Jake de Villiers wrote:

> You can check the end play with the engine in the van but its
> measured and adjusted at the flywheel end...
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 8:25 AM, Jay lefstein <jleftbrane@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> Can you check end play while the engine is stll in the van?? I have
> thought there may be something wrong with breething system..the
> engine ( whole van ) sat for 3 years without a tranny hanging at a
> weird angle.. Sounded horible when first running again. Blows a lil
> white smoke when cold but starts and runs decent.. I will most
> likely put a subie 2.5 in this syncro, but i would like to get till
> spring with the wbx'r if posible ..
>
> Thank you,
> Jay Lefstein.
> Sent from my mobile device.
>
> On Sep 19, 2010, at 3:46 PM, "Scott Daniel  - Turbovans" <scottdaniel@turbovans.com
> > wrote:
>
> > the crank pulley seals on waterboxer engines ..
> > in syncro's or 2WD's ..
> > in my expereince, almost never leak.
> >
> > like if I'm doing heads on a bare block..
> > I seldom see any sign of oil leak at the crank pulley ..ore barely.
> > sometimes I put in a new crank pulley seal, but it's not like it's
> a weak point or anything that I have noticed in dozens and dozens of
> wbxr engines work on.
> > They don't leak as much as  rear main seals do ...and those aren't
> bad, generally, but those leak sometimes of course.
> >
> > Whenever there is an oil seal leak ......
> > sure, with luck it's a tired seal, and that is the problem.
> > However..
> > when that's not 'it' ....when it's more than a hard or tired seal..
> > need to consider blow-by pressure, crankcase breathing system,
> > and oil clearance on the bearing by the seal.
> >
> > the pulley itself is all right ?
> > not a big groove worn in it or anything ?
> > and lubing the selaing surface when installing new seal of course,
> right ?
> >
> > I suspect it's more than just 'a seal' ...
> > or it could be, considering how carefully and thoroughly you've
> worked on it in that area.
> >
> > see if the oil breather tower is ok..
> > I never have a problem with those, but there is a spring and a
> diapham or something in there, and that does control crankcase
> breathing.
> >
> > here's a cheater trick..
> > might not work on a waterboxer ..
> > but on some other engines ..
> > if there is an oil seal leak caused by crankcase pressure enough
> that the seal can't prevent oil leakage there...
> > running with the dipstick pulled up a half inch so crankcase
> pressure is relieved...
> > might stop the oil leak, and will tell you for sure crankcase
> pressure, usually due to high miles on the engine is making a leak
> occur at the seal in question.
> >
> > I have never done this on a waterboxer..
> > but I do it on my volvo ...makes oil fumes come out the dipstick a
> bit, but it keeps the oil from going past the new cam seal in the
> head, and getting into the timing belt area.
> >
> > yeah, for an experiment ..
> > I'd put a hose on the dipstick tube ..( remove dispstick )
> > run that upward  some and aim it overbaord, and see if running
> with relieved crankcase pressure this way stops the seal from
> leaking ..
> > if it does ..
> > then you know it's either 'pretty tired engine' or crankcase
> breathing isn't working as it should.
> >
> > and example of the ole 'substitue and bypass' diagnostic strategy ..
> > if you suspect crank case pressure is part of the problem, relieve
> it, even temporarily and unkosher-ly ,  for troubleshooting and
> diagnostic reasons.
> >
> > also, any time you have excessive bearing clearance next to an oil
> seal ..
> > the oil seal usually can't deal with it. I hope it's not that.
> > Might check crankshaft end play ...to get some idea if the crank
> is loose in the bearings ..
> > might not reveal anything, but it might too.
> >
> > Scott
> > www.turbovans.com
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jay lefstein" <jleftbrane@GMAIL.COM
> >
> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> > Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2010 2:52 PM
> > Subject: help needed can not drive van...oil seals for Syncro
> >
> >
> >> hey guys I am losing the battle with an oil leak on my syncro... I
> >> have replaced the oil cooler seal, oil pump seal and oil filler
> tube
> >> gasket..
> >>
> >> when i did this it appeared that the main pulley seal was fine ( i
> >> removed the pulley and saw no oil... at least i think i aw no
> >> oil... ) .... I guess i was wrong ;(.. so i put it all back
> together
> >> washed the oil off the back of the van and drove 200 kms........
> >> bummer the oil was leaking just as bad as before if not worse...
> >> so I ripped the exhaust and heat sheild back off, pulled the main
> >> pulley off and pryed out the seal and replaced it.... put it all
> back
> >> together and ran the van for 15 mins...
> >> then splash a ton of oil started spilling out from behind the
> pulley
> >> ( worse amount yet )
> >> I am confident the i put the seal in correctly..
> >>
> >> now this is the question.... have any of you seen a syncro specific
> >> seal for this app.... i don't see any listed but the seal i took
> out
> >> seemed a bit different then the one i put back in ... it seemed to
> >> have a second outward facing lip ( which i assume is for keeping
> out
> >> water...
> >>
> >> does anybody have the correct seal part number  and where to get
> them
> >> quickly in canada?
> >> and any thoughts or suggestions of what could be wrong?
> >>
> >> thanks
> >> Jay
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Jake
>
> 1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
> 1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'
>
> Crescent Beach, BC
>
> www.thebassspa.com
> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27
>