re: rear seal

[CONAN@RALVM8.VNET.IBM.COM]

  This may have nothing to do with your problem, Robert, but might be of
interest to other listers and I've not seen it mentioned before... (Someone
might even be able to tell us a way around it?)

  On the 1275 there is a metal housing/bracket/doodad bolted to the rear
plate at the crankshaft that IS or holds the rear crank seal.
  My local Spridget guru once told me to never-never-never,
on-pain-of-death-by-leakage, unbolt this part.
  According to him, if you remove/replace this part and don't get it -exactly-
right it will leak from now on.  The only cure he knew was line-boring the
block with the part in place.

  Never having rebuilt an engine, I have no personal experience.  He's had
lots.
   Ed in NC