Second time crank seal leak possible crank walk

[kiichiro]

So I'm leaking again from my crank shaft seal
First time was due to a belt getting caught being there and spinning the seal. This time it's looking like leakage, I wonder if I have crank walk from my hp, I'm on e85 and well over 300hp at the wheels

Am I only one blowing this seal? I'm starting to suspect crank walk. The area the seal sits on the shaft is a bit wider than the seal thickness from the imprint left is it possible my crank is walking on me? Fuk.

[xwd]

I have only heard of very high mileage Subaru engines having enough bearing wear to have any crank movement. You generally would just get a spun bearing if anything. Are you sure it was installed correctly?

[Reaper]

Low mileage crankwalk can sometimes be caused when a high pressure pressure plate is used and the driver sits at stop lights with the clutch pedal depressed.

[Turdinator]

Another thing to consider is blowby. Are you running a catch can? Could some of your crank case ventilation system be blocked?

EDIT: On further thoughts your second seal could have been installed incorrectly or even when the original seal failed it may have scored the crank.

[zkv476]

HP doesn't cause crankwalk, thrust loads do (heavy pressure plates typically). These seals installed correctly are typically very robust and rarely ever leak. Can you tell if it's leaking from the seal/cam cover or out the crank pulley spacer? The reason for the difference in seal coverage is likely just because you installed a new seal that may not have been perfectly lined up with the old, which doesn't usually mean a problem. You're not likely to have scored anything at least, the seal is soft and that crank pulley spacer piece is hardened steel.

How did you install the seal?

[youcantseeme24]

Fa20>4g63

[JesseE]

LOL back to my DSM days, "crankwalk" is from thrust bearing play (forward and back) play on the crankshaft, power generally has little to do with the thrust bearing play. stock DSMs would get it as much as modded ones.

[xwd]

Yeah I always heard the main DSM issue was from bearings with incorrect tolerances being installed at the factory. It's very rare for it to happen to even modified vehicles from my experience.

[cdrazic93]

if it wasn't installed from a dealership, then Id be suspect of the install. I have never heard of a crank seal causing crank walk. Just bearing tolerances or on the occasion blow by.

[Enalband24]

Originally Posted by zkv476

You're not likely to have scored anything at least, the seal is soft and that crank pulley spacer piece is hardened steel.

Ah, not necessarily, unfortunately. Scoring cannot be eliminated from the possible causes.

I work with heavy machine parts (rollers) every day, of which all run on bearings in housings containing very similar, if not the same seals (speaking of the material of course), which are used here. Here's a picture of what the seals can do to a hardened steel shaft:



The red arrow is scoring from the bearing, and the yellow arrow is scoring from the seal.

When the bearing starts to run out of round due to the damaged shaft, the seal also runs out of round and contacts the hub with slightly more pressure, and that's what you get. Believe it or not.

In this case however, if the seal was improperly installed and rubbing the shaft a bit more, this *could* happen. Not saying it did, but it could.

[FirestormFRS]

Check the sealing surfaces of the seal itself. Could have scratched the CC while installing the new seal. Check the pulley as well could be a scratch on that. Could also be a bad seal or contaminants on the seal.

[SteveIsBored]

Sometimes the spring on the inner part of the seal will pop out while installing causing a leak, if this particular seal has spring

[xwd]

Funny I posted in this thread, has anyone else experienced this? I just has a front crank seal come out slightly causing an oil leak, boosted car now with around 300WHP.

[Crazy Drew]

Originally Posted by xwd

Funny I posted in this thread, has anyone else experienced this? I just has a front crank seal come out slightly causing an oil leak, boosted car now with around 300WHP.

Sounds like you need to check out your crankcase ventilation. If it's plugged, or not able to keep up with blowby from the rings it'll cause pressure in the motor that'll push seals out.