I can't find anything on this, so I thought I would pass it on.

I have replaced quite a few front crank seals (mostly 2.5 NA, some 2.2 NA) on Suby engines.

I sorta noticed some seals were brown, some were black. I have had to "warranty" some labor due to leaks. Talking to a local dealer parts guy, I learned this.

Some time ago, SOA issued a notice that the dealers were to ditch ALL their crank seals that were black (and no reimbursement) and restock with the brown seals only.

It seems the black ones were bad.

IIRC, all the leakers I have replaced (OEM install or re-replacement) have been the black ones.

In fact, I have a small leak I am resolving in my own rebuild (while replacing the water pump, but that's another story) that has a black seal in it.
It is getting a brown one now.

I've replaced two black crank seals with the newer brown seals. What's the difference? Material, spring, size?

-Charles-

My guess is the material.

The PN on the seal is different as well.

I am not home, so I can't get the whole number, but the black ones end in "E" and the brown end in "G".

When I get home (in about 2 weeks) I can look up the whole PN on a seal site and see the description.

All crank seals I've replaced have been brown ones. Never really noticed that they dropped the black ones. :)

-paK +1

Pakin, do you mean you have only put in brown seals, or only had bad brown seals??