Crankshaft oil seal - renewal

Engine in-car repair procedures / Crankshaft oil seal - renewal

Crankshaft front oil seal 1 Remove the crankshaft timing belt sprocket, with reference to Section 5.

2 If available use VW tool 2085 to remove the oil seal from the oil pump. Alternatively, drill two small holes into the existing oil seal, diagonally opposite each other. Thread two self tapping screws into the holes and using two pairs of pliers, pull on the heads of the screws to extract oil seal. Take great care to avoid drilling through into the seal housing or crankshaft sealing surface.

3 Clean out the seal housing and sealing surface of the crankshaft by wiping it with a lint-free cloth - avoid using solvents that may enter the oil pump and affect component lubrication. Remove any swarf or burrs that may cause the seal to leak.

4 Lubricate the lip of the new oil seal with clean engine oil and push it over the crankshaft until it is positioned above its housing.

5 Using a hammer and a socket of suitable diameter, drive the seal squarely into its housing. Note: Select a socket that bears only on the hard outer surface of the seal, not the inner lip which can easily be damaged.

6 Refit the crankshaft sprocket with reference to Section 5.

Crankshaft rear oil seal 7 Remove the flywheel (see Section 11).

Method 1
8 Drill two diagonally opposite holes in the oil seal, insert two self-tapping screws, and pull out the seal with grips.

9 Clean out the seal housing and sealing surface of the crankshaft by wiping it with a lint-free cloth - avoid using solvents that may enter the crankcase and affect component lubrication. Remove any swarf or burrs that may cause the seal to leak.

10 Using the plastic fitting tool supplied with the new oil seal, tap the seal into the housing using a suitable metal tube. Note: Do not lubricate the seal to ease fitting - it is supplied with a friction-reducing coating.

11 Refit the flywheel (see Section 11).

Method 2
12 Remove the sump (see Section 13).

13 Unscrew the bolts and withdraw the seal housing from the dowels on the cylinder block. Remove the gasket (see illustrations).

8.13a Withdraw the rear oil seal housing from the dowels on the cylinder block. . .

8.13b . . . and recover the gasket

14 Support the housing on blocks of wood and drive out the oil seal (see illustration)

8.14 Removing the seal from its housing

15 Clean out the seal housing by wiping it with a lint-free cloth - avoid using solvents that may enter the crankcase and affect component lubrication. Remove any swarf or burrs that may cause the seal to leak.

16 Using the plastic fitting tool supplied with the new oil seal, tap the seal squarely into the housing using a block of wood (see illustration).

6.16 Driving the new oil seal into its housing

Note: Do not lubricate the seal to ease fitting - it is supplied with a frictionreducing coating.

17 Clean the mating faces then refit the housing, together with a new gasket, and tighten the bolts evenly in diagonal sequence to the specified torque.

18 Refit the sump and flywheel as described in Sections 13 and 11 respectively.