5 speed input bearing with metal shield. Good idea?

[mbell]

Hi,

So I bought a broken eclat 5 speed (shredded 1st motion shaft) to repair as back up and to run while I improved the original box in my car.

On stripping the eclat box it find it had obviously been gone through before with use of silicon sealant and fitment of a 6207Z(single metal shield) bearing in the input shaft.

My initial thought was to put it back to a standard open 6207. But I am now wondering about the reasoning for fitting a shield bearing (shield to front). My first thought was maybe it was too reduce oil flow in to the nose housing and reduce likely hood of oil leak from input shaft. But I am now thinking it might be there to improve lubrication of the bearing but limiting the draining of oil through the nose housing. Keeping more oil in the bearing. But to counter than it could reduce flow keeping contamination in the bearing and increasing oil temps in that area.

Had anyone come across something similar in the past? Or thoughts on if it's a sensible mod or not?

Just debating if I should return it back to a open bearing or not.

Thanks,

Mark