Likelihood of flywheel seal for oil leak?

[Shakenbake]

How likely is it that the Flywheel seal would be a source for an oil leak? I'm replacing the oil pressure switch and breather gasket. I'm not sure if either of the aforementioned could be the source of a leak that looks like it's coming from the bottom of the flywheel area???

[Halm]

Chris,

Just picked up my '70 E from Touring Car for that very leak (flywheel). Glad to discuss off line.

[marcesq]

The flywheel seal is just as prone to leaking as any other exterior seal on the engine based upon milage, and age. If you have the engine out, and the lower part of the bell housing is damp at the engine/tranny joint, why not replace the seal. The seal is 17 bucks, and the flywheel bolts are a 2 bucks a piece.

Just be careful not to score the seat or damage the seal when replacing. If you don't have the majic tool (who does) try using the butt end of a screw driver and a hammer working slowly in a chris cross pattern so that the seal goes in evenly

[yelcab1]

Odds are even money that the Crankshaft rear seal at the flywheel will leak every 25000 miles. Mine did, twice.

If you have the engine out, just do the seal and be done with it.

[Superman]

When I told JW of my surprise in finding that my rear main seal was NOT leaking, he said "They almost never do." Now, I'm sure there are leakers, but JW says if oil gets into the bell housing it is probably crawling up the input shaft from the tranny. And he says people often mistake leaks at the oil pressure switch, the breather plate or the oil thermostat o-ring for a leaking out of the bell housing. I thought for sure my rear main seal was leaking, but when the flywheel came off, it was dry.

If you need to replace the rear main seal, use the BROWN one.

[diverdan]

My 78 SC had one that rotated like a hula hoop. Funny, I bought that car in Hawaii.

Diverdan

[Wayne 962]

Very likely. Replace it if you can...

-Wayne

[Shakenbake]

Since I don't have the engine out, I'm going to start with the oil pressure switch, the crankcase breather cover gasket and the sealing ring for cap for bottom of the external thermostat. If the leak still appears I'll know the next step is the flywheel seal.

[Rick Lee]

Having just completed an engine drop and replaced all the aforementioned seals, I recommend doing all you can. The engine drop was not that bad a job and it sure made replacing all that stuff a lot easier. I even nicked up my new flywheel seal while installing it and had to buy yet another one. The main shaft seal was a real b1tch to remove and mine wasn't leaking to begin with. But once I started trying to remove it, it was shot. I also replaced the chain cover gaskets, which were leaking. I won't mind doing this job every two years or so.