993turbo

Hi there,

Lately I've had some issues with some Rear Main Seals I have installed. I've been using the seals from Victor Reinz. I have used them for years without issue, but the 3 last ones have been seeping.

Any experience with this?

Mrmerlin

did they have the ribbing all the way along the side? the new seals dont have this
did you verify the pry out slot is free of burrs?
Greg Brown is selling the old style seals with Ribs on the whole side facing.

GregBBRD

Yes, I wrote about this problem, probably a year ago (Possibly longer. Time flies by.). You can probably find this by searching.this Forum.
Sudden problem....probably a "new batch" of seals. ((I've been through this problem 3-4 times in the 50 years I've been working on Porsches. Someone makes a "new batch" and suddenly you need to find another supplier.)
I've got a giant stack of these seals from Victor Reinz, out of gasket sets. (Not sure why I save them...)
I too put 4 seals into one engine, on my test stand (takes about 20 minutes...not like if the engine was in the car.)
I tried a couple in two other engines, thinking the problem might be isolated to just the one engine.
They leaked also.
I did not give them much chance to break-in. (Which maybe they would have?) My engines need to leave the test stand dry.
Because it is way too much effort to change a seal in a 928 (especially an automatic) to take a chance.

Try an Elring. Black outer, with a redish/brown seal lip. No "lead-in" metal area, so a little bit more difficult to install, without "flipping" the inner spring off.
I've used these for the past year or so (since I started having problems)...so I've probably installed 25 (or more) of these, without any problems.

EDIT: Go here and read this thread. Same information, as above.
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...acement-2.html

993turbo

No burrs. And all clean. No debris.

I will take a pict of the Victor Reinz I took out. It's is on a manual car so fairly easy to change.

993turbo

Excellent info.

I havent had an issue before. Now suddenly 3 in a row....

Kevin in Atlanta

This one seal along with the front crankshaft seal that I only but from Porsche ($$$) but they seem to be easier to install.

GregBBRD

I know...very painful.
This flywheel seal "event" more than paid for my test stand, as a couple of these engines were for automatics.

GregBBRD

The "advantage" of the Victor Reinz seal is that there is a "bare metal" section on the OD, which means that the OD and the ID of the seal are not hitting both the engine block and the crankshaft, at the same time.
Pretty easy to install, but one still needs to not allow the inner spring to become dislodged.

The Elring seal has ribbed seal material covering the OD (without the "bare metal" section.)
This means that one needs to get the OD and the ID started at the same time.
A little bit "fumbly", but not difficult.
(Snap-off makes a little kit of seal/O-ring removal and installation "spoons", which I use on a lot of seals and O-rings, and have grown to love.)

I should take a picture of my "box-o-flywheel seals", left over from 911 days (same seal, after 1978.)
There was a time when absolutely every brand/type of seal would seep.....and I had tried them all.
I finally resorted to "unscrewing" the inner spring, cutting off 10mm of coil, and re-assembling the spring, in order to solve the problem.
(Which might also work on the current Victor Reinz seal...I have't tried that, yet.)

993turbo

Do you think the spring is too slack?

Also, who makes the OE Porsche units.

Anyway, I have ordered 4 Elring units.

GregBBRD

I don't know what the current Victor Reinz problem is...I'm just telling you what I had to do, once in the past.
You won't have an issue with the Elring seals...if they are the same as we get, here.
Just make sure that you get them installed square to the crankshaft.

The Forgotten On

Elring in general is a great brand from my experience. They seem to stick with whichever design works best, either new or old.

They're the only wheel bearing seal I use as they still have the double seal the originals had that the new replacements lack.

I've also heard great things about their front main seals, but have not used them personally.

993turbo

The Victor Reinz seal.

993turbo

From the rear of the crankshaft.

993turbo

The Elring seals.... Fingers crossed.

993turbo

Elring seal installed. Fingers crossed.