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Time to fix the oil leak...

 naked_rear_of_engine.JPG moored in marion Thumbnails The entrance to the underworld... moored in marion Thumbnails The entrance to the underworld... moored in marion Thumbnails The entrance to the underworld... moored in marion Thumbnails The entrance to the underworld... moored in marion Thumbnails The entrance to the underworld... moored in marion Thumbnails The entrance to the underworld... moored in marion Thumbnails The entrance to the underworld...

Maintenance was a core part of the XD experience for many of the skippers and sailors. Here we are working on replacing the rear crankshaft oil seal, a notorious source of leaks on the trusty Perkins 4.108 engine that XD and many, many other boats (and tractors and Peugeots) of this era used. What you see is the very rear of the engine block, which is accessed after removing the prop shaft from the transmission, the transmission and starter motor from the flywheel housing, the flywheel, and the backing plate. It's really more difficult than it sounds, because you have to do this while bent into a pretzel-like shape, as all of this is under the cockpit sole.

We did this twice.

The oil still leaked.