I'd like to rent your Rear Flywheel Seal (Crankshaft) installation Tool

[Determined]

I have a 3.2L Carrera case that I just recently closed but my rear crankshaft flywheel seal popped out during install and due to limited time I needed to close the case. I've read that it's OK to install after the case is closed. I have failed to do so five (5) times. I'm afraid I'm going to damage my seal, I am using Curil T as added protection against leaks and this makes it even harder to get it in properly. Each time I properly and thoroughly cleaned this area as well as put a very light coat of assembly lube on the crankshaft. At this point, I feel it's better to use the right tool before I damage my seal, if anyone has one I'd love to rent it. I am very careful and responsible with my tools and will do the same; I promise to return it immediately after installation.

Thanks for your consideration.

Best Regards,

alex

[A930Rocket]

You might want to just get another seal at this point. I just use a small amount of Curil t and a little oil on the inner seal that contacts the crankshaft. I line it up and start to tap it in by going back and forth across the seal until it's all the way in.

[Determined]

A930Rocket,

I agree, I'm going to get another flywheel seal but I don't feel confident hitting it into position. If someone has the proper tool I'd really prefer that approach. I hope so.

Thanks for your input,

Alex

[ChrisBennet]

Sometimes the slot at the edge of the hole for the seal (that you use to pry the seal out) has a big burr on it. The new seal will hang up or get cut by that burr when you are installing it. This is from a 964 but you get the idea:


I like to remove that with a dremel tool. If you do so, be very careful not to touch the crank or the sealing surface of the case. I wrap the exposed crank with some masking tape to protect it.


-Chris

[garibaldi]

You actually can install the seal without the tool, although the toold helps, its just a bisctu that draw the seal in evenly. Take a small hand file and break the corners of the notch so the seal doesnt get peeled on the sharp edge, and then get it started by hand and use either a soft block and light tapping with a dead blow and gently work your way around until its flush with the case. Ive done it in a pinch

[Determined]

Thank you all, I did check the lead-in for burrs and could not find any. However, the lead-in is very small and my seal keeps peeling back on it. I checked my seal last night after cleaning and it's bent now so I purchased another one. I am going to break the edge a bit more to help it get in by hands first. Thanks everyone for your time and advice, I'll take some pictures of this next attempt and post my results.

best regards,

Alex

[Walt Fricke]

You should take heart from the fact that many of us have installed these seals successfully without the nice to have but expensive tool.

The tool I use is a small plastic hammer/mallet.

I routinely leave this seal off until I am ready to put the flywheel back on, because the guy who first showed me how to put a case back together said that was the way to do it - less friction to confuse you whilst rotating things after various steps to make sure nothing is binding. This may be complete BS, but he was a talented machinist and it has worked well enough. But it is still a more iffy operation than something straight forward like torquing nuts or bolts. I worry some about it, and damaged a seal once.

The problem is that when you tap on one side, the other side wants to tip up. My guy said put a little dab of some kind of standard sticky gasket cement on one side of the gasket, and an even smaller amount on one side of the ID of the case and let it get tacky. Put the seal in matching your dabs so it is a little deeper on the cement side, then start tapping over on the other side (of course with hand pressure on the cement side). With luck this will get you those crucial first millimeters in all the way around. Once that happens, tapping around the circumference will work it down, as no one tap will cock the seal enough for an edge to lift free.

I've never used a sealant, and never had a leak either. Which isn't to say sealant is somehow bad, though if it is acting as a lubricant for a tapping type installation, I'd consider not using it.

I made what I thought would be just the ticket as a low buck tool. I took some plastic plumbing parts I already had from when I built my house and put them together so in outline they formed a sort of Y - i.e., they were a cone truncated at the small end. The two tips of the Y had an insert which just cleared the snout of the crank, but extended out over the case. The base of the Y had a solid plug in it, which allowed me to smack it with a hammer in the center of everything, which I hoped would move the seal in evenly, also get it stopped evenly and nicely true. It did fulfill this last function, but it was a failure in the more important first task.

Walt Fricke

[kucharskimb]

on one occasion, i used a hole saw and cut out the correct sized hole (crank OD) in a piece of 1x4 wood. then i screwed a second piece of wood to the back of it. a wooden cup/bowl, if you will. this allowed me to tap in the center and seat it uniformly.

on another occasion, i used a piece of PVC from the plumbing section. depending on the seal OD, you may need the actual tubing size, or an inside or outside adapter/coupler. you can cap this off, and once again, tap on the center to get a uniform seating.

with the curil t, i noticed that i had to keep coming back and re-pressing the seal into the case. eventually it was tacky enough to stay put. but if it had been a quick open and close job, i'm sure that it would have walked out and failed immediately upon startup. consequently, i haven't used curil t since.

[Determined]

Excellent feedback, does anyone have pictures of these custom tools that I can take a look at? Thanks in advance for your time and support.

Alex

[MBEngineering]

HI Alex hear is the tool you require, I can do some drawings if you like??.price for the tool from Porsche is £56.61 part No 000 721 912 60 ($110.33).

regards mike.

Walt, Don't rely entirely on the kindness of strangers over the internet.

[Determined]

Thanks Mike,

I love it, any drawing would be appreciated. I am currently awaiting my new seal to arrive before my next attempt. I also will put a little bigger lead-in on the case to get it started.

Thanks,

Alex
orozcoa@earthlink.net

[DW SD]

Alex,
Check the 3.6 rebuilt thread by JW PATE (or something similar). He bought one and it didn't work for the 3.6 rebuild. He wants to resell the tool. Maybe you can get a deal on it?

Doug

[garibaldi]

If thats the tool your planning one using, then just use a block and a dead blow and tap it in, essentially thats all that thing does, dont go nuts trying to source one. Not that theres anything wrong with that, but there is a seal install tool thats a stepped aluminum biscut with three holes that you get the seal started, and then install three flywheel bolts over the tool into the nose of the crank and tighten the bolts, and draw the seal in. The tool pictured above you would just be hammering on, so whats the difference.....

[Determined]

Doug,

I can't find the thread?

Christian,

Good advice on the method for flywheel seal installation...thanks!

Alex

[TimT]

install three flywheel bolts

Or why not use the flywheel to seat the seal evenly.....

put the seal in place, temporarily install flywheel using a few bolts.....

snug up flywheel....

remove flywheel and finish seating the seal with a wood drift (or suitable tool) ...

final install flywheel....


vroooooommmm

[Walt Fricke]

Hmm - Mike's fine factory tool looks a whole lot like this - still has the $3.39 price tag on one of the components.






Here is the backside of a flywheel. This is a 9 bolter and RSR style I need to sell, but even without measuring it looks to me like the flat area is little, if any, wider than the OD of the end of the crank shaft., so I am doubtful it will work as a seal installation tool.


Well, that picture wouldn't load. I'll try later.

Walt Fricke

[DW SD]

Alex,
Look here, page 3:

90 C2 - 964 rebuild

thread by JWPATE

[TimT]

so I am doubtful it will work as a seal installation tool

Walt, I posted the "shoot from the hip, use what ya got" tip because it does work.

Sometimes, good subsitutes for missing or misplaced tools are right at hand! I do like the PVS pipe reducer and plug though.

[Determined]

Once again,

Thank you all very very much!

Best Regards and Happy Holidays!

Tomorrow, I'm on my way to Denver, Co but the recent blizzard may keep me here in California.

Alex