So i am working on a 1974 Coupe with a aftermarket 1600 in it..I can't seem to install the rear crankshaft seal...I have installed many 1600 and 1800 without any problems... It seems the seal is just a hair too big and will just not go in without tearing the outer rubber on the seal...hmmmmm? I think the bell housing is a 1400 as it doesn't match any of the 1600's I have laying around here..From what I can tell the 1400 and the 1600 use the same seal....I was hopeing the 1400 was just a scosh smaller but no...(Insert sad face).Well any thoughts? Thanks ,todd this is the original seal...   

What make is the "aftermarket 1600"?

Its a 1600 from a newer subaru.like mabey from 1978 thru 1980..

Possible a 1600 seal won't fit in a 1400 bellhousing? I don't know for sure?....I'm just a duck.

Just got word from oldsubfreak that his local machine shop determined the crank seal mating suface of the bellhousing was out of round due to the flywheel rubbing against the bellhousing and generating enough heat to warp it.

Edited May 11, 20169 yr by darsdoug

Sad to hear , but good for us to know. Thanks for posting the reason.

Yep,When they changed the 1400 to a 1600 they needed to change the 1400 bell housing to the 1600 engine....and the flywheel too, I am guessing.So on the back of the flywheel was a raised rib that rubbed on the bell housing casing around the rear crank seal hole,now that caused enough heat that the bottom of the crank seal was out of sink....sinc ? Anyway  we fixed it with a rat tail file. Boy it sure looks funny when you write it down.... Rat tail file ? haha it sure does look like one... So..I chased down another rear seal and we will see..Boy what a head scratchier ?/? Ever heard of The Model Garage from Popular Science magazines? From 1929 to the early 1060 they had a monthly Automotive mystery. Gus Wilson was the Mechanic that solved the  mystery's...This could have been one of them ......! 

Well I hope this is the final chapter on the cursed oil seal....I went to put everything back together and again the new seal will not fit  ...Hmmmm The used seal i had fit in the shop where we dressed the hole up at,but not this new one, again just a coat of paint too thick....so I took off the bell housing and put it on from the inside !! Unreal.....It was a bugger.... I said a prayer it would hold...and it apparently did..But not before worrying me sick...We get the engine in and all looks good.We run to the gas station and back and there is oil all over the under side of the tranny and cross bar......  Soooooo, I cleaned n wiped as bests i could and pondered....Hmmmm..What would Guss do ?.Is this going to take three trys ?????So we fired it up and watched....... but no leaks.No LEAKS ! ???... So my theory is this...Just before i installed the engine i spilled a bit filling it up with oil...Could that oil have layed somewhere on the engine area and was wind blown back when we went to the station ???  Or is the Cosmos in tune with Neptune making life just seem real.... haha...I'll let you how the next hundred miles plays out.....

Edited May 15, 20169 yr by old sub freak

Well so far so good...Its holding oil and all is right with the world !!