front cover oil seal

[greyhound]

Hi, Am I right in thinking you can replace the front cover oil seal on the plus 2 once the bonnet & rad are out the way? If so, any thoughts on loosening the pulley nut.
Also are there any alternatives in the seal manufacturers?
Thanks for your help, John.
P.S. Anybody going to the Classics on the Common at Harpenden tomorrow.

[billwill]

Just put the car in gear & with handbrake on, you should be able to undo the front crankshaft nut with a socket set. It's a bolt actually not a nut. See the manual

The pulley then slides off the shaft. the torque for the water pump & alternator is provided by the woodruffe key.

The seal itself would be difficult to get out with the crankshaft present and will almost certainly be destroyed in the process.

[69S4]

Hi, Am I right in thinking you can replace the front cover oil seal on the plus 2 once the bonnet & rad are out the way? If so, any thoughts on loosening the pulley nut. Thanks for your help, John.

I can give you an unconventional way of doing it. I've been tracking down an ignition problem for the last week or so and at the weekend had a spanner on the front nut to turn the engine by hand. After making some adjustments I wanted to check for a spark and turned the engine over on the starter forgetting that the spanner was still on the pulley nut. It had unscrewed the nut about two turns before it fell off. I've now got to find a way of tightening it up.

[512BB]

Good morning John,

I will be going to Harpenden today for the meeting, so long as its not peeing down. I shall bring a new front cover oil seal with me, in case you want it. I shall be in a yellow/white DH Sprint. If you cant find me my mob is 07905 963424. Was intending to get there about 4 PM, as I understand it goes on into the evening. If this is wrong, please let me know.

And Bill, I would think that John wants to take the seal out because it is not sealing, so no matter that it will be destroyed. Quite often, the problem lies with a groove that has been worn in the crank pulley where the seal runs, and therefore to cure the leak, you need to have the pulley dressed to eliminate the groove, or replace the pulley with a new one, and also replace the seal.

Further, its not actually that difficult to remove the seal in situ, you just have to be careful not to damage the front cover. Oh, and Bill, make yourself known if you are going to be at Malcolm Ricketts evening sojourn on Wed 4th August. I missed you last time, if you see what I mean!

All the best,

Leslie

[billwill]

Ah, the shame of it.

My Elan was Malcolm Ricketts very first Lotus, but is headless at the moment, so if I come it will have to be in my Renault Grande Espace.