[Vwdiesel] Replacing Oil Seals

[LBaird119 at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/4/2002 7:19:06 PM Pacific Daylight Time, echomhs at gis.net
writes:

> Is it easiest to replace the camshaft oil seal by removing the camshaft
>  sprocket and then the bearing caps (carefully) and lifting the camshaft
out?
>   Is there an easier way?

  You have to pull the sprocket but then just pull the one end bearing
cap.  It's the one the seal's in and loosening or pulling it will make the
cam seal a snap.
>
>  I will be removing the oil pan so that I can wedge a piece of hardwood
> between
>  the crank and the block in order to remove the crankshaft sprocket bolt.
Is
> it then easiest to remove the crankshaft seal plate behind the crankshaft
> sprocket and then replace the front crankshaft seal on my workbench?

  Leave that plate on.  The gaskets usually stick pretty well and it takes
time and a razor blade to clean it all off.  Just pry the old seal out.  You
can do the slide hammer thing, use pry bars or screwdrivers carefully or
run a screw into the seal and use pliers to pull it out.  You could also
just grab the screw with the pliers and pry against the pliers.  Safer that
way.  I would rather find an air impact to pull that bolt rather than pull
the pan.  You might get a shop to knock it loose and then put it on
tight enough to get home then have them rattle it back on when you're
done.
>
>  I was also planning on installing an oil baffle over the camshaft.  Do I
> need
>  to find another set of nuts to hold this down on top of the studs that
hold
> the bearing caps?  The baffle didn't come with any instructions or
additional
> nuts.
>
  It just sits in there and the valve cover holds it on.  The holes in it are
only
for the nubs of the studs to stick through.
     Loren