I recently pulled my engine to make sure it was shimmed for proper free-end play, I checked it, and everything was good, I was getting it ready to go back in though... and NOW, after all this talk about rear seals leaking, I have a light drip on the bottom of the flywheel... did I hit the flywheel too hard? and break the seal? or did all this talk just jinx me?

It is probably fine, but exactly what did you do to test for end play?

I used the procedure in "how to rebuild your VW"

I put the dial indicator on the flywheel using the magnetic base, had the indicator pointing to the case, set the indicator to zero then put a block of wood over the center of the flywheel, whacked it a few times with a hammer and measured the difference.. mine was .005 I did this like 2-3 times to make sure I did it right though... I'm thinking all that whacking wasn't good for the seal... it never leaked a drop and now there was some on the bottom of the flywheel... I'd drianed the oil before pulling the engine but there was still a bit there, more than I would expect.

I have another seal, but if this is normal(or acceptable), I won't mess with it...

I used the same technique you did but with a 5 lb sledge over a piece of 2x4. Thought I was gonna crack the case. Ended up with .004 and no leaks so far. Did ya clean up the flywheel real good where it mates to the seal?

QUOTE (Headrage @ Jul 21 2005, 08:24 AM)

I used the same technique you did but with a 5 lb sledge over a piece of 2x4. Thought I was gonna crack the case. Ended up with .004 and no leaks so far. Did ya clean up the flywheel real good where it mates to the seal?

yea, but that was last year... when I put the flywheel on

I just used a 1 lb hammer, and a 8" piece of 2x4



the fly had just been machined too,

my buddy just brought up a good point, this may be nothing afterall...

the engine isn't setting level, and we jostled it around a bit to get the tranny off... could that be all this is, is just from moving it around?

I don't know if that would do it. Wouldn't that mean your car would leak after driving it on a bumpy road then parking on a hill?

true, but it's been parked on the hill for about 4 weeks now...

Jake posted a bunch of tips here for leak-free installations. Not that I have his experience building engines, but I'll take all the advice I can get.

ok, I pulled the flywheel tonight to find out where it's leaking... the seal looks freakin' NEW the only way I could MAKE it leak is if I tipped the engine WAY back and pushed on the seal... I'm thinking since I didn't oil the seal before putting on the fly that some was just squeeking by somewhere... no groove in the fly or crank, O-ring was good, but felt a little dry... I rubbed some oil over all the mating surfaces and put it back in...

if it starts really leaking I'll be ready for it...I'll need new bolts now(since I had to use my new set tonight, for no reason

but I have the peace of mind... if it leaks a little, I'll live with it.

it DID appear, that on the bottom, where the 2 case halves mate together, one side was slightly lower and I could get a little of a fingernail in there, but not enough that it seemed to be bad in anyway though...

here's a pic: