Front Crank seal a DIY Job?
 

my front Crank seal is seeping some oil, not a ton but enough to notice a small black spot on my driveway, the indy wants to replace it but I dont have the funds to do it, is this a relativly easy DIY job or is it a pain in the A...butt to do?

It's a 87 TD om603 Engine

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looks simple enough.... how much stuff do you have to take out to do it though? radiator and all that?

At least the radiator. And don't expect as much room as in that 201/601.

Sixto
87 300D

I'd catch hell for doing all that here... off to the indy it'll go and I'll make due until I have the funds.. Same story with the Vac pump at the mo' too

How much does the Indy want for it? I had a 30 year Benz mechanic help with mine. With the radiator and fan clutch already removed. He was in and out in 35-40 min and this was portably. He stopped by my house on the way home. This is why I want to have a "shop day" gtg. For stuff like this! I take care of this guys computers and he takes care of anything I cannot handle myself with my cars. Very good deal. Time for time!

Where FL are you? I forget.

Get the indy to do the seal. You'll probably need a new hub to go with it, commonly wears a groove that a new seal alone won't solve. Do both.
You'd need a flywheel locker, and macho torque wrench to put the crank pulley back on correctly. Indy can hoist the car and do all this without pulling the radiator, just needs to get at it from below.

But you can do your own vac pump easily. It's a bolt on part. Of course, get the gasket too. You can get at it without removing fan and radiator, just get the right assortment of shortish socket extensions and deep sockets and you'll be fine.. take it off by backing off all bolts at the same rate, move around and around. The mighty spring in there wants to push the vac pump right off the car. When it's off, get a 27mm socket and rotate the crank until the "bulge" on that sprocket is lined up so the new pump goes on in its "uncompressed" part of the cycle. Then you're not fighting it to get it on.

I think it was 2-300 bucks to do the seal iirc, and the vac pump I'd do myself, it's at the top and simple lookin to do

push the seal in 3mm before spending the money.

if I can see it i'll give that a whack so to say

The repair part number is MB # 010 997 34 47 or # 010 997 68 47 which has the lip offest 3 mm towards the inside so as not to run in any groove in the hub from the standard seal.

^^^... and has been discontinued.

the updated instructions are to use the regular seal pushed in 3mm beyond 'flush'

I'll let my indy worry about it, it's too involved and the HOA is up my butt enough.

Ah, haven't seen any documentation regarding that update or TSB. There does seem to be an Elring updated part referred to as "repair size" now with the Viton elastomer compound rather than the original Teflon.

http://www.allpartsexpress.com/ShopByVehicle.epc?q=1992-MERCEDES--BENZ-300d--.5--/--L5_--.5l_diesel_turbo-Engine--Seals--Gaskets--Sets&yearid=1992&makeid=MERCEDES+BENZ%40%40MERCEDES+BENZ%40%40X&engineid=1193745%40%40300D+2%2E5+%2F +L5%5F2%2E5L%5FDIESEL%5FTurbo%40%40300D+2%2E5&catid=Engine+Seals%2C+Gaskets+%26+Sets&subcatid=Cranks haft%20Seal&mode=PA

Print this out for your indy - it helps a lot on an OM617 - I guess it could help with your engine too.

http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/OM617CrankshaftSeal