Stan944

There are two groups of guys who do this job: experienced (always do the right job) and first-timers (often have leaks after the job). There are few in between, but I'm one of them, and I believe I found a (or the) reason many front-end resealings fail.
Clark's garage recommends mounting the balance shaft seals on a bench, after removing the housing from the block. But you often have to push the assembly rather hard into its place. This is because there is a tight fit of the metal sleeve onto the balance shaft. When you push it in, the metal sleeve will push the seal outward, and deform it slightly. It turns out the inner diameter of the seal increases then, and oild will leak through the gap. You can check it on an old seal. The process is reversible, but who wants to risk it...
So my advice is to mount the seal at the end, after the housing and the metal sleeve are both in place.
Or do it on a bench, but push the housing by exerting the force on the metal sleeve, not the housing. Especially bad would be to push it in by tightening the three bolts.
Good luck.
P.s. it's been many months, and the front end is still dry.

alordofchaos

Good tip, thanks!

And I hope I never, ever, have to use it
(at least til after I'm retired and have time to do stuff right)

testarossa_td

Yup thanks for the bit of insight.

StoogeMoe

I don't understand. Are you talking about the big o-ring? I just run the o-ring through my fingers with some motor oil and then put it on the bearing cap. Then slowly twist the bearing cap into the housing. I'm one of the first guys. No leaks so far. (fingers crossed).

____________________________________
1986 944 NA - Guards Red - 91k miles
1983 944 NA - Platinum metallic - 1200 mi beginning a new life
1985.1 944 NA - Guards Red - donor car
1984 911 Carrera Coupe - Guards Red (gone, but not forgotten)
"If you're not living on the edge, you're not living"

Stan944

no, the seal (with metal inside) that contacts the metal sleeve mounted on the balance shaft. I'm not sure what you call the 'bearing cap'? the piece I refer to as the housing of the seal?
If you don't have a leak, everything went OK!

Techno Duck

I think Stan is refering to the bearing shell, as its refered to in the PET book. The thing with the groove in it.

StoogeMoe

Ok, so you're talking about the shaft seal. Same trick. Just run motor oil in the inside lip of the seal and the contact surface of the sleeve. Then carefully install the seal into the shell (cap). If you have a socket that big, then great. I just used a piece of wood and tapped it in slowly and evenly around the perimeter of the seal until it was seated.

If you distort the metal in the seal, then it will leak. Or if you damage the lip of the seal it will leak. You could also get unlucky and get a bad seal or put the wrong one in. Remember one is counter rotating. They should have a little arrow imprinted on the seal so you don't mess up.

____________________________________
1986 944 NA - Guards Red - 91k miles
1983 944 NA - Platinum metallic - 1200 mi beginning a new life
1985.1 944 NA - Guards Red - donor car
1984 911 Carrera Coupe - Guards Red (gone, but not forgotten)
"If you're not living on the edge, you're not living"

Stan944

well, strange things happen when German in mixed with English and Polish