Hey guys. A friend and I replaced the front crankshaft seal on my 87 190d today. Cleaned out the housing with a rag ( didnt look too nasty) and pressed in the seal before buttoning everything back up. Didn't think about it at the time, but Im really hoping I didn't mess up by not doing a much more detailed cleaning. And that I didnt mess up by not using any kind of grease or sealant when putting in the new seal. Any thoughts?

I use a thin sealant like Permatex Hylomar or similar. You don't need thick stuff - just a little thin coating. A little lithium or moly lube on the seal surface is a good thing, too.

That said, if it doesn't leak you done good! Might as well give it a try.

Dan

What all had to be removed to access it? I've got a leak on the front of my '85 190D that I suspect is the same.

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Thanks Dan - I'll be keeping an eye underneath the car for any leaks - replacing the oil pan gasket today. What a pain!

Walkenvol, it was pretty straightforward. Had to drop the radiator out, and remove the water pump pulley - it was slightly clocking the flywheel from coming off. Replaced the vacuum pump gasket while I was in there too.