Front main seal - removal in a V-drive?

[cb1000rider]

We have a 2001 Tige 2300V.
The boat started leaking oil about mid way through the summer. We changed the oil pan drain line, but we were still losing oil. We kept up with it through the summer and 2 days ago, I bought some dye and a UV light... We put it on the lake overnight (hey, this is Texas) - to do some trailer work.

I found that she's leaking from her front main seal.
This *may* be a model specific question, but is it possible to change the front main on this thing without removing the motor? There is about 12-14" of space between the front of the motor and the aft of the boat, but it doesn't look like fun...

[AdaminMN]

That's going to be ugly. Unless you like cramped spaces and are flexible.

If the oil leak is coming from behind the damper...
You'll have to see if you can get a harmonic damper puller in there first. That'll be the biggest tool you will need to get in there.

You'll have to pull the water pump off first. Then pull the front pulley(s) off the crank shaft and the damper. Then the front cover can be unbolted and removed. Remove the old seal, and install the new one with the seal lip toward the inside of the cover. Replace the front cover gasket and re-install the cover. Replace all the gaskets you remove. Try to find yourself a Seloc service manual for the engine. It's a great reference.

This is a brief summary of what needs to be done. I'm just going off memory from what I had to do last spring when replacing an engine. Mine however, was an inline setup so everyhing was out in the open.

Good luck.