So I'm chasing a leak in the front of the engine, which I believe is the front crankshaft seal. Its a 1989 190D (OM 602)

I can't seem to get enough leverage on the main crank bolt to get it off. I'm holding the engine at the torque converter, and am working counterclockwise on the crank bolt with an 18in breaker bar.

I haven't undone the six or eight bolts around the main crank bolt - I figured they could be done second.

Any suggestions? Is my only hope from here to get an air gun? Or could I find a less finicky place to hold the engine, so I could really get into pushing on the main crank bolt.

I have never failed with a 25" breaker bar. It's amazing what a few more inches of leverage can do.

There are those who will lever the breaker bar to the deck and spin the starter.

Well, I didn't manage even with the 25in breaker bar.

Are there any risks in going at it with an air gun? The only thing I'm worried about it my ability to hold it at the torque converter.

No need for a counterhold when using an impact wrench.

How do you plan to Torque the Bolt with out a good hold to keep the Crank from Rotating?

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Success!

I got the crank bolt out by jacking up the breaker bar. Couldn't fit the air gun in there, even on a impact wobble socket.

Here's the next question: Is the balancer somehow mated to the hub? I took the pulley off the balancer by undoing the 6-8 hex bolts, but the balancer is stuck on there.

You are going to need a tool known as a harmonic balancer puller.

So I got the harmonic balancer puller, but it looks to me like my only option is to pull the balancer and the hub at the same time. The holes in the balancer aren't threaded, so I would end up screwing into the hub, and pulling the two of them as an assembly. Does that sound right?

yes

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Jim

OK, balancer and hub are off. I was mad when I took it off, because the screws I chose were 1mm too long, and dug into the metal on the crank side - I hope they're not too proud, and its not a sealing surface.

Here's a shot of the wear on the hub - excessive? I bought the 'repair seal size', which I believe locates on a different part of the shaft.

Now I've having trouble getting the seal out. The manual says to use a screw driver, but not to damage the bore. Even with a couple layers of cloth in between I'm still making very slight marks.

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Just don't turn the screws all the way down. Problem solved.

Yes. And you can see why; seal spring exposed resulting in metal-on-metal.

Take a chisel or flat screwdriver and deform the seal (cave it in) in several spots. Place the chisel perpendicular to the seal perimeter, contacting the seal only.

Very, very carefully try to put the screwdriver against the very outer edge of the seal and hammer it inwards. This should distort the seal, allowing you to easily remove it.

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Jim

Accomplished!

Now that I'm putting the new seal in, is there a way to know how far the hub and balancer should go on? I failed to measure the gap when I was taking it off.

All that will sort out when you tighten the fastener back up.

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Jim

I found that it was not possible to tap the seal in using a hammer rotating lightly around the edge, so I made a homemade version of the factory tool, using a 1in washer and a 2in pvc bushing, together with the crank bolt and one of its 3 washers. The 1in washer was the largest I could find, but the inner hole was not large enough to clear the female section that the crank bolt screws into.

I seated the seal close to flush, but not at flush, based on the advice here

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/292918-603-front-crankshaft-hub-seal-job-pics.html

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