WBX

[itchyfeet]

Don't know how this happened but I definitely have an oil leak from this replacement WBX ( it's not gear oil)
I noticed it quite soon after install, but I had a sump plug leak so hoped it was that but after 500 miles it's still there.
It had a new Elring oil seal and new o ring, flywheel looked good, end float was set, I hope it's not the case seal.
I could just get on with rebuilding the old engine but that could take me months and if I leave it I will contaminate the clutch and then I may break down.

No choice but to remove the gearbox ( again) and investigate
No point fitting the stainless exhaust with an oil leak above it.

P1050078 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

P1050100 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

[itchyfeet]

One thing I always do when the box is out , is to weld the clutch slave cylinder nuts to the underside of the bracket, so it's much quicker and easier to undo / do up in the future . Just a couple of spots with the ole fashioned arc welder saves lots of swearing later on in van life

No welder so this is my solution I'm going to try, access to the front bolt is quite good so a 20mm diameter cut out in the bracket ( using a hole saw) should enable me to get easy access to the rear bolt with a 3/8" socket. I have used stainless nylock nuts and bolts.

P1050105 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

[itchyfeet]

Dropped gearbox off yesterday and quite a bit of oil in bell housing, looking a the flywheel it has lines coming from centre inplying oil is leaking from seal and being flung out.

Nothing obviously wrong except seal was not pushed underflush so looking at dims it may have been rubbing on the radiused fillet of the flywheel casting and possibly if there was enough friction it could turn the seal in the crankcase, it did seem to come out easily.

Another possibility is the flywheel surface is rough as, this flywheel may always have leaked, it's a late VW recon so perhaps standards were slipping. Also the recess that matches the endfloat shim is a bit small which was why I needed 3x0.4mm end float shims

I think I will fit another flywheel shown last, it has a ridge but the surface is very much better, I can position the seal to miss the ridge.
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P1050108 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

P1050111 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

P1050118 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

P1050120 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

[Aidan]

that 2nd flywheel is never going to seal well, damaged by old hard seal - don't know if it's possible to find an undersize seal if the flywheel is reground on the seal surface, shame VW ran out of flywheels

[itchyfeet]

that 2nd flywheel is never going to seal well, damaged by old hard seal - don't know if it's possible to find an undersize seal if the flywheel is reground on the seal surface, shame VW ran out of flywheels

That's what I thought but after measuring I found the recess is 13mm and the seal 10mm so there is 3mm of variation in seal location, the groove was cut by the seal being fully home and 3mm under flush so I set the seal 1mm under flush and so it will run 2mm off the old groove, fingers crossed, I did a short run tonight but will take it out tomorrow and see if it's still leaking.

The felt ring spacer was missing to I punched it from the old flywheel with a suitable socket and fitted it.

They say if you don't learn from your mistakes you are doomed to repeat them, well last time the gearbox was fitted I didn't keep an eye on the clutch lever and if it gets pushed down the thrust bearing comes un clipped and it all goes pear shaped, that happened last time and I had to remove the box, it was broken but I had a spare.

Well I stupidly repeated the same stupid mistake, this time it wasn't broken, do your self a favour of you remove the box, wire the clutch lever up so it can't move


P1050124 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

P1050125 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

slave cylinder is now easy to fit

P1050126 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

[ajsimmo]

A speedi sleeve will cure it. JB weld in the groove then shove the sleeve on. http://www.barnwell.co.uk/catalog/produ ... cts_id/428

[itchyfeet]

A speedi sleeve will cure it. JB weld in the groove then shove the sleeve on. http://www.barnwell.co.uk/catalog/produ ... cts_id/428

Interesting idea, I wonder what the thickness is.
Standard seal is 75mm x about 6-8mm so these are too deep and I doubt you could cut them down easily.
I measured the 75mm and is varies slightly from one to another JB weld may work but I wonder how SKF intend them to be fitted.

Have you ever fitted one?

I think I could polish the VW recon one in a lathe while fitted to a crank I can't see how a seal would work well on that rough rurface.

I think an under size seal and turn them down is a good idea
seals are out there need 74x95x10 oil seal

https://shop.eriks.be/en/oil-seal-nbr90 ... -11373133/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Aidan]

Speedi sleeves are great, there will be one the right diameter, but may be too deep so fit and then into the lathe to part off the excess length, the one that fits the rear stub axles is too long so I have had that done by the machine shop in the past
they are only 0.11mm thick so you can still use the original seal
Also there is now a cheaper than SKF SpeediSleeve brand available from certain suppliers, using same parts numbers as SKF, recently started trialing them for the output flanges, fortunately for this the speedi sleeve is exactly the right length and you can leave the collar on after fitting so you don't potentially damage the sleeve removing the collar

re the slave cylinder easier to remove the cylinder (now you've done the mod to get the socket in there) and don't break into the hydraulics and lift it out of the way before removing the box - though it does depend on what set up of clutch pipework you have tbh, syncro petrol is the best with the all nylon pipe, why they didn't do the same on all the others I don't understand...and then once box is fitted pop the cylinder in with the push rod just aside of the lever ball and bolt it in then push the pushrod up and onto the ball (don't forget a little lube for the ball and socket), no pressure on the release bearing makes fitting the box to the engine easier, so cable tie it up if you do fit it first, easy to cut a cable tie and remove it once you are fitted

[itchyfeet]

Thanks Andrew/Aidan for the spedisleeve info, I still don't quite understand how it's supposed to fix on, surely if it were not fixed it would spin?
I think most WBX flywheels are in need of modding now, somebody must have already done this??

Yes I tie up the slave cylinder, never touch hydraulics but it's the clutch arm that must be tied up too to stop the release bearing falling off, yes blob of grease on arm.

One more thing I forgot to mention, the late WBX has an extra shim or shim retainer, I can't really see what it does, shims are retained anyway and at 0.25mm thick it's not clamping anything???
I wondered if it was an oil thrower of some sort, this one was bent from being screwdrivered out by yours truly who wasn't paying attention, I swapped it for a good one so perhaps this contributed also?

I did 100 miles today and no leaks so far

P1050135 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

[itchyfeet]

from skf website, they really are saying use jbweld

they say interference fit, the flywheel is just over 75mm so maybe you stick the flywheel in the freezer.
they also say non setting compound can be used so maybe the yellow head nut sealant

Think I may get one to try.

http://www.skf.com/uk/products/seals/in ... index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Installing SKF Speedi-Sleeve

Although installation is simple, it should be done carefully to achieve the best results. As the thin-walled sleeve has an interference fit, any disturbances on the shaft surface may create a similar pattern on the sleeve surface and cause the seal to leak. Therefore, the seal counterface surface of the shaft should be carefully cleaned and any burrs or rough spots filed down prior to installation. Deep wear grooves, scratches or very rough surfaces should be treated with a suitable powdered metal epoxy-type filler. The sleeve must be positioned on the shaft before the filler has hardened.

Shallow wear grooves do not require filling. Optionally, a light layer of a non-hardening sealant can be applied to the inside diameter surface of the sleeve. Clean away sealant that migrates to the shaft or sleeve outside diameter surface.

[itchyfeet]

Original engine flywheel and VW recon flywheel, looks like 75.1 or 75.15 is about normal

P1050138 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

P1050137 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

[Aidan]

No need to chill or heat anything as long as you get the right one they just press on and come with the tool to press it on, you can just use a brass hammer to tap the tool and the tool is one use disposable so doesn't matter if you distort it, I use the press but it is only a few 10s of kg force required to get them on, the jb weld or similar fills the void and provides support for the back of the sleeve, excess is pressed out of the way and flows to where you can remove it, for really small voids I use locktite as I found the resin/putty type material tends to all get pulled out as the sleeve hits it in that situation

[itchyfeet]

Already thinking of ways to trim without a lathe, I have access to one but most people don't.

[ajsimmo]

Well my quick thought on a possible repair option seems to have sparked a discussion all of its own! Never done it myself on a flywheel, only a transmission output flange. I was just thinking out loud.
I suppose without any sealant under the sleeve, oil would seep under and through. Loctite/bearing fit would be my preferred method for that rough one you have, I think.

Sent from my SM-T210 using Tapatalk

[itchyfeet]

Also there is now a cheaper than SKF SpeediSleeve brand available from certain suppliers, using same parts numbers as SKF

Don't suppose you know the name Aidan? can't see any alternatives, I think 99289 is the one but it needs trimming and I may end up damaging the first attempt, nice to get one cheaper than 22 quid + post to try.

Trimming needs to be something anybody can do, I'm thinking along the lines of a pipe cutting wheel used somehow.