Unfixable leak from crankshaft front oil seal - 300TDi

[John Clayton]

If anyone can put us out of our misery on the following, I will gladly buy them a pint (or several)!

A mate who is an Army mechanic (so works on a lot of Defenders) replaced the timing belt and spotted that the crankshaft front oil seal was leaking, so he replaced it.  In a couple of hundred miles or less it was leaking MUCH worse than before (a regular fast drip that meant I was losing a litre of oil every 100 miles approx.

He then repeated the job (new seal and another new timing belt because the one he had just fitted was contaminated with oil straight away).  He thought that it was a faulty seal as the new seal felt a lot tighter when it was fitted.  He also cleaned out the crankcase breather pipes (and replaced the plastic breather capsule with a new one).

After 200 miles the oil is leaking out again at a rate of knots -to our complete dismay and bafflement.

We're stuck for ideas as to what on earth is causing the problem, so if anyone can help, we would be very grateful!

[Saffy]

genuine landrover seal?

[John Clayton]

Yup:  http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-ETC4154

[lambert]

Usually such behaviour would result from goosed bearings I.e. too much movement for the seal to handle. Possibly.

[Dr Neil]

is the camshaft o.k where the seal runs? no nicks ect.?

[John Clayton]

Yes, he checked very carefully the 2nd time he did the job to check there were no burrs on the crankshaft

[frosty]

Is he a b mech?

[lurch_917]

i know it might sound odd but i had simaller on my old disco and found it was a problem at the rear of the crank that was the cause of the front seal leaking . as the crank rotated the play from the back gave enough movment through the crank to goose the front seals .