Howdy Gents,

This is an 82 240D with 283,000 miles.

I've been working through the front main seal job this weekend. Thing has been leaking for 50,000 miles and I have ignored until now.
Everything through the harmonic balancer came off as described with no trouble. Then I expected to pull the front seal out with my fingers or "prise out radial seal using screwdriver" as the FSM dictates.
No such luck.
After digging at it for a while with screwdrivers and gasket scraper, I found that the outer rim of this thing seems to be all metal. The new part seems to be plastic on the edge where it seats to the block so I don't know what figures here.
Then I rigged up a puller with 9 pieces of coat hanger bent in little J-hooks that could slip in under the ID of the seal and catch under the metal in the OD of it. (Pic attached) It just bends the J-hooks in the hangers and they eventually pull out. Probably quite a bit of torque involved, esp when compared to "prise out using screwdriver".

The old part *looks* like the proper MBZ part from the outside. Anyone ever run into a front seal that seems to be fused to the block?

My next steps are to try to find a real puller that has arms tiny enough to slip in there like my hangers did. Also thinking some heat on the block and upper pan could help.
Anyway, I'm miserable and am running out of ideas short of having it towed to a shop. If you guys have thoughts they are very welcome.

I don't know the PO but so far every other job on this car has gone as if all the work was done at the dealer. (No goofy torques or hacks.)

Thanks

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Garrison R.
'83 300D

I have used drywall screws as seal pullers. Hammer the screw through the metal part of the seal and then it will thread thru until it hits the back wall and pushes out. If you get a "lopsided" punch thru, abandon that hole and try again. I guess if you had a good tiny drill bit you might be able to drill a centering hole, but I assume in this case the bumper/radiator/etc are in the way.

ENSURE THE SCREW DOES NOT CONTACT EITHER SEALING SURFACE, as they are hard little buggers and could easily mar the crank or especially an aluminum bore.

Alternately you might punch the seal IN a little to break it loose, then try your puller helpers. Contraintuitive, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

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James Marriott
2003 Buick Regal
1983 300D (228k, frau Auto)
1996 Suburban K2500 (192k, 6.5 turbo diesel/4WD towmaster 10,000)
www.engineeringworks.biz
1987 300SDL junker 170k
1982 300SD junker, 265k

Look at the bottom of the page on the Add. He shows a modified Screwdriver and how to use it to remov a seal. You seal is bigger so you would need a bigger screwdriver.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Diesel-Injection-Pump-TDI-Drive-Seal-Dodge-VE-Cummins-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem27b2b603a6QQitemZ170501997478QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccesso ries

Do a search for seal removers and you will see a tool with a handle and a hook on each side of one end. They are sold at most auto part places. The problem is to have room to use it effectively you may need to remove the Radiator

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Okay my radiator is already out so I have plenty of room to work and try these suggestions. I am going to heat the block as I work, too... unless you recommend against it. (?)

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Garrison R.
'83 300D

The spacer is difficult to remove, take out the "U" shaped piece below the crank, this will give you room to put a torch on the spacer, then with channel locks, pull it off. You should be able to see it with the balancer off, it's held on with a couple of allen screws.

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83 SD

84 CD

Seal remover: GENIUS. I got the kind that looks like a spikey two-sided hammer of death. The seal died in its grip.

Now on to the spacer. It's on there tight as many have seen... I'm going to follow your advice to the T toomanyMBZ.

Thank you all very very much. Father's Day joy has been restored!

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Garrison R.
'83 300D

Before you do that, try prying the spacer with two small flat screwdrivers spaced 180 degrees apart. Give it a dose of penetrating oil first. The spacer should not be that tight; it just seems that way if you don't pull it off evenly.

That is what I was trying to describe: Do a search for seal removers and you will see a tool with a handle and a hook on each side of one end.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Let me correct myself, the horse shoe is above the crank, not below. There are four 10mm bolts in front and two 5mm allen screws that go in from the bottom. You may need to wedge it loose. The pics show the horse shoe removed and the seal in the first one, it just came out by hand. The second pic is of the spacer ring. Heat that up, it has less mass than the crank and will expand, allowing you to pull it off.
When installing the new ones, put the horse shoe back on and the seal, then tap the spacer on with an inch and a half size drift, a piece of pvc pipe works..

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83 SD

84 CD

I would NOT heat the block ...
That is a place too well braced for any useful expansion to take place..
and you might cause it to crack...
Cast Iron is strong in many ways.. but has to be designed so that its own cooling forces do not introduce stress cracks...

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1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=10414

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=156207&highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

The spacer ring, not the block.

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83 SD

84 CD