Engine: 289 Front Seal

[thunderations]

1959 Lark, 289 has a front seal leaking. Is the only seal the original felt one, or is there a replacement neoprene seal available?
Did a search and didn't come up with anything.
Thanks in advance for any info. Not my car. Asking for a friend. He seems to be getting the runaround by several mechanics.

[r1lark]

I have used probably four of the neoprene seal conversions that Ingvar Vik and his son do at their machine shop. I highly recommend this mod. I believe his contact info is in Turning Wheels.

[DieselJim]

I believe Fairborn Studebaker sells a seal kit.

[GrumpyOne]

I believe that Mark Frank, (MD Engine Service), produces a conversion option featuring a modern seal. He was originally located in Bruceville, TX but I think that he has completed his move to Lampases, TX. He is reasonable and reliable...

[tsenecal]

Raylin restorations used to have instructions, and part numbers on their site. Went to find it, and it is no longer there. Anybody out there have it archived? I had planned on doing it at a later date.

[wh22366]

I used the Raylin instructions but have only retained a paper copy. The instructions for a neoprene seal found here on Bob Jonstone's site are nearly the same, only differing in the method of reducing the installed height of the seal. http://www.studebaker-info.org/tech/...2/oilseal.html

[gjamesk]

Here's a copy of the Raylin page: https://web.archive.org/web/20150628...imingSeal.html

[tsenecal]

Thanks for posting the Raylin archive. I thought I had it saved in favorites, but it was only their home page.

[thunderations]

I have forwarded all the posts to the car owner so he can make a decision and converse with the mechanics with some facts to make his point.
Thanks, everyone.

[BobWaitz]

A timely post as I plan to replace the front seal in my 259 at the end of the driving season. Thanks for the links to the pictures! I've been putting it off for a couple of years. Ok, I've been putting it off for 4 years. There, you happy?

In my defense I need to remove the radiator to get at the front of the engine. That's the price you pay for shoe-horning a V8 into an M5.