Re: Leaking rear main seal

["Douglas Hurst Quebbeman" <dougq@iglou.com>]

> In message <3.0.3.32.19980608214558.0071d4b8@popd.ix.netcom.com> Steve Manning writes:
> 
> > I have the classic squealing rear main seal problem ...
> 
> > 1.  Is this seal leaking under boost also, not just at vacuum under idle,
> > and thereby causing all sorts of havoc?
> 
> Yup.  It only sees varieties of "suck" down there.  More boost, more
> "suck".

I mentioned, in my post about my initial experience with a 1.8bar WG
spring, that I have been hearng the turbo whistle through what I though
was a simple vacuum leak in the center console. However, after an uneventful
morning drive in to the office, when I fired up the 5kcstq to leave for 
lunch, I got the most god-awful squeal when I accelerated into the boost
range. At 3/4 throttle, it would not climb above 0.9 bar and squealed like
a stuck pig.

I drove most of the way home not pushing it. Then, I took a side street with
little traffic so I could listen to see if I could tell when it's coming from.

It seems to be coming from under the car. First though was the MonkeyLad who
finished up the botched job of tahr mounting had said when he brought the 
car around to the front of the building, his kneee hit some knob and two green 
lights came on. He said he turned it off, but when he was going around a tight 
corner, it sounded like the tire was rubbing on the inside of the fenderwell.

Of course, I knew he'd locked the diffs. But why did they not release when 
turned back off? The lights were out, like they should be.

Ok, so when I hear that squeal today, I think great, he managed to dislodge one 
of the vacuum lines while he had it up on the rack.

But all this talk of rear main seals has me worried.

Well, anyway, I start the car back up, accellerate at 3/4th, same squeal. Then 
I nailed it. I didn't hear anything go pop, but metaphorically, something did
pop. The boost came on, the squeal disapeared, and did not reappear on the 
drive back to the office.

Opinions? Normally, the car will idle down badly if you pull the oil dipstick,
and will die if you remove the oil filler cap. What differences in that 
scenario will I experience if I try that test again when the squeal returns
(as I assume it will)?

Any opinions, BTDTs, YMMVs, condolances, etc, appreciated. TIA!

--
-Douglas Hurst Quebbeman (dougq@iglou.com)       [Call me "Doug"]
    QuattroClub USA# 4536     Audi International # 100024
       74 100LS Auto,     84 Coupe GT 
       77 100LS Auto,     86 5Kcstq QLCC 1.8bar  
"The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away."  -Tom Waits