jeff spahn

I tackled the front main seal today in my S4. I have been chasing a nagging oil leak and about the only seal that hasn't been replaced on my car was the front main. I had the engine out two years ago and I was an idiot for not replacing it when the engine was on the stand. I know the rear is going to now bite me in the *** now.

Replacing the seal was really not that hard. I basically did a TB job except I kept my old parts.

Once you get the thrust washers off the car and clean everything up you just tap a screwdriver in the slot in the block by the crank at a 45 degree angle and pry the seal out. Comes out very easily.

Once you have the seal out, clean everything up with brake kleen (that's how it is spelled on the can BTW).



Then you put the seal on with some oil on the inner lip that touches the crankshaft but dry on the outer part. The Porsche 9125 tool makes this simple (thanks Rob Edwards).



Seat the seal flush to 1mm below the face of the block. There is a stop in the block so you can't go too deep. Even if you bottom out the seal, you aren't going to cover all the drain holes so don't worry about it



Put the car back together and you are done.

Here's the Porsche tool and the corresponding box it comes in.

Mrmerlin

FWIW after removal of the old seal feel the removal cutout for burrs from the tool that was used to remove the seal.
Sometimes a small lip can be formed from the screwdriver prying on this surface,
if so a small file or stone can be used to dress this back to smooth.
That insertion tool is great