Sp 6 access to front crankshaft oil seal

[DCerebrate]

the local garage is struggling with knowing how to proceed to get access to this seal, currently leaking heavily. The question is specific to the Cerebra chassis - the crank pulley is well boxed in by chassis members, and they don't think they can move the engine back far enough. There is a plate in front of the pulley with a cut-out hole, but it isn't big enough to move the pulley forward far enough to remove. As this plate doesn't appear to be structural, would anyone with trade or engineering background advise
1. cut larger hole in the plate to allow pulley wheel to be removed, or
2. drop engine down (though there doesn't seem to be enough space - pulley blocked by chassis member, or
3. remove engine upwards, and if so any tips on manoeuvring?

PS no specialists within 150 miles!
Thanks

[redbraveheart]

Hi
You may of found this out by now but removing the harmonic balancer is an engine out job on the cerbera
It is possible to remove on a Tuscan as per removing cylinder head in situe article on the web

My car is a 1999 cerb sp6 and I know because I have fitted and removed the engine twice !!

I would drop the engine remove the balancer ( machine mart puller worked best for me ) and front timing cover and inspect replace anything suspect (seals as a mater of course) simply bearings do them just take the size from the old ones.

If you decide to replace the water pump o rings make sure the new ones are the same size as the old as this was the cause of my second engine out job even using Genuine parts ( o rings) my mate made me some that were two sizes smaller than the first ones !!
Let me know if you need anymore help
Phil

[DCerebrate]

Phil

Good to know of another (very patient) Speed Six owner, and thanks for taking the time to reply. I have popped in today after work to view progress.
Somehow the garage have managed the trick without engine removal! They took the engine off its mounts and manipulated in various ways, and managed to change the seal. nothing else was changed but I am OK with this as the engine has had a recent rebuild.
Now all that is needed is to connect up a new Craig Davies EWP and controller, a Spal hi-current 16 inch fan, and a Laminova oil coooler.
So looking forward to having it back on the road for the first time in 2 months. Making up for lost time, I will be driving on non-salty days throughout winter.

[Stunned Monkey]

Interested by the use of the phrase "drop the engine". As mine is a 99 S6 and I intend doing a chassis strip before long, should I expect the engine to come out the bottom or the top? Out the top would be easier......!