Lotus Excel

Can anyone explain the process of changing the front crank seal on the 912 engine. Especially how to line it up without the special Lotus tool. Alternatively if anyone knows where i can get one of these tools i'd be very interested.

Cheers

Tought you can use the pulleys to line it : Put the new seal gently at the entry of his seat then the old then the pulley ... and tighten the bolt in the crank.
Remove the pulley, the older seal and refit the pulleys defently.
For a better result be carefull not to push it at the same place but slightly before or after the older that might have done a "leap" on the crank.
That's done mate

so do you loosley fit the casing that goes around the crank and then push the new seal in the circular gap between the crank and the casing

or

do you fit the new seal to the casing when it is off the car and then try and fit it to the engine with the new seal already in place

If anyone has got pics it would help loads

Sorry I was thinking the engine was in the car.
If the casing is off then use the old seal as well or a socket of the right size.

The engine is in the car. So basically you have fitted a new crank seal without the special lotus tool and it has been fine and not leaked?

Not on a Lotus engine but some others yes. I think "special toll" help but not a must.

Anyone done this on a 912 engine as i need some good sound advice on what exactly to do