When removing my starter motor last week for replacement I found a cup full of what smelled like gear oil in the bell housing. The oil level in the gearbox was fine and i suspect it was held in place by the starter motor. Has anyone seen this before and what is the likely problem here and possible fix please?
Thanks Greg
I had a rear main seal leak badly in my 2wd manual and it puts heaps of oil in the bell-housing and soaked through the clutch.
Had to replace both the clutch, the pinion bearing, felt seal and the flywheel O ring. No more leaks after that!
Thanks Scott I noticed this morning oil on the drive where it must trow out a little oil each time it starts. I better get on to it.
Curious that the seals were replaced 55K ago, when I rebuilt the box thought it might do better than that?
The bell housing on the Syncro is meant to be sealed from the outside world (2WD’s have a small gallery at the bottom, any oil that leaks in should find its way out and no build up inside).
For the Syncro, any leak runs the risk of building up inside. I fitted a small removable plug in mine I pull out each service to check for leaks.
Greg, there are a few potential leak path’s, as Scott noted the rear main seal and oring on the flywheel. there is also the end cap of the cam, and the input shaft for the gear box. This one can let gear oil into the bell housing.
If your level is not dropping in the gear box, are you sure it’s not engine oil in there?
The most likely seal to leak is the rear main seal, but all are worth replacing if you have the engine out.
Just on the rear main seal, when I had my fuel tank out, I replaced the rear main just because it was out. I did ~30k km and was still oil tight when I removed the engine recently (cracked heads).
The replacement engine I put a full Victor Reinze seal kit in (meant to be a good kit). I’ve done ~7k km since refitting the engine and I have engine oil just starting to weeping out now. I’m guessing it’s the rear main seal. Not happy with that. I guess seals aren’t what the used to be.
I thought Go Westy was making their own “special seal” but can’t see it listed? They do have this article though
Flywheel or “Rear Main” Seal Story – GoWesty
Thanks Richard I will digest all of this and may come back to you if thats ok?
No problem Greg
I could not find any old data on Gowesty’s seal, but found this
TheSamba.com :: Vanagon - View topic - Main Seal Madness
Looking at a few of the usual sites, they either do not mention a brand, or supply Victor Reinz or Elring
The one in the kit I just installed was all black. From memory the old seal was orange, looks like this
Porsche and Volkswagen Engine Crankshaft Seal Elring 326798 029105245 326-798 326.798 326 798 | Pelican Parts
(this is for a type 4, air cooled engine)
The rear main seal which I had installed in my 2wd manual was also all black - which was the same as what was in there.
However, I think the swap over between the flex plate and the flywheel did the damage to mine and why it started leaking - not many will have that issue though.
Thanks Scott I will keep up the research looking for a reliable seal.