mx5cartalk.com

Hey,

As per just about every Internet write up, my front crank seal is being difficult.

I'm not confident with drilling holes or using screws into the seal and the shop manual's advice of a small screw driver wrapped in heavy cloth isn't getting me anywhere.

I'm looking at ordering the following tools
Lisle 58430 Shaft Type Seal Puller & 56920 Limited Access Seal Puller

http://www.lislecorp.com/divisions/prod ... roduct=365
http://www.lislecorp.com/divisions/prod ... roduct=508


Can anybody suggest locally available alternatives as I'm not keen on the three week delivery time and resulting vehicle down time?

Are there any other ways of removing this seal?

Nick.

I used just a simple set of pointed pulling tools that I bought for a few dollars.

They are easy to pull out when you point the point through the seal and turn it so it is pushing against the spring in the seal and pull it out.

my bigger issue was putting it in correctly.

Nick you can get seal pullers quite readily at local businesses off the shelf- e.g. Bursons Repco- go and see and go and talk to someone .Someone like Bearing Wholesalers and many others also sell simple tools. The main issue with pullers is how much access is available. You do need to use a bit of force to lever / remove seals.

I have just done all the seals on my NB motor by drilling a 2.5 mm hole in the middle of the seal then screwing in a 18mm 6G self tapping screw just enough for the screw to lock into the seal then using a pair of side cutters on a block of timber to lever the head of the self tapping screw and seal out. The secret is to only use a sharp drill. I got the idea from a UTUBE clip where the guy just kept screwing the self tapper until the seal popped out. My method does not damage the housing the bearing sits in. Believe me I tried using screw drivers etc, By looking at the replacement seal you will get the idea where it is safe to drill the seal. Good luck.

the screw in method has been around for decades but I would only use it if a puller does not work. Rather than mess about with home made fixes look first at what pullers are available - they are not expensive and go into the toolbox for next time.

I made my puller from a flathead screw driver and a butane torch. Heated the tip up and bent it to a 90* angle. Hooks perfectly behind the seal to pull it out

FWIW I just used the screw method (pardon! - why am I thinking of Frankie Howerd?) to remove the front and back seals (there's Frankie again) with no dramas. I'm not quite sure what the concern is. You will know when you have penetrated (oh dear, not again) the seal and you stop drilling (stop it Frankie!). For the camshaft seals I used a vintage dental tool (I think it is called a lifter but I could be wrong) that I bought at a market. I''m a bit of an antique tool freak (actually, my kids just say I'm a freak) and it was beautifully made and I thought it would be good for removing seals (No, not the kind that eats fish Frankie).

Tim