Dexta 200hrs main seals leaking

Hi,
Rebuilt my dexta a few years ago. i used the rope seal in the back, rubber in the front. engine now has 200 hours on it. it has never leaked from the main seals until a few weeks ago i was bushhogging and noticed dripping from the rear main from the weep hole. when i pulled up on the trailer, noticed the front seal was also leaking but not as bad. all together i"m losing about a quart every 20 hours of cutting time. i had just changed the oil and filter before the leaks started. why all of the sudden? what has caused this? any recommendations? thanks, david

DavidLA:
My first inclination to answer is to ask this question: What color is your exhaust pipe?

Rationale: If it is not a chalky color, if it is dark and has slobber, break-in was perhaps incomplete and still needs done.
Discussion: I have bought several (OK 4) Super Dextas in the last several years, more than one were not broke in. I put them to hard work, various RPM setting, working against the governor always to RPM droop. It always takes 2-5 hours to get a good break in. A couple broke in and are OK, believe I am going to have to rebuild one. The Super Dextas that break in right have a different smell to the exhaust, the color is grey on exhaust, while the other smells oily and not a clean burn. Yep, it has blowby and leaks. Great oil pressure, smooth, just a slobbery mess. Tad bit hard to start too. I have no clue to liner condition, or rings, but they don't run that smooth wore out.

So the point to my posting is rebuild does not always equal success. What color is the exhaust?

Wayne

My first boss, back when I was a teenager at a shop gave me this advice following a rebuild. Check your fluids, get a full tank of fuel and don't stop working it till the exhaust pipe is burning grey. Vary your RPM and work it light then as hard as you can make it work. Be prepare to work it all day.

Thanks Wayne
I was also told not to baby the new engine after the rebuild, i.e. put it to work, and that I did. Worked it hard probably the first 100 or so hours before she really got a break. The exhaust really is clean, only a bit of grey when i throttle up or down sometimes. Many days, i've run tank of diesel before shutting it down. She cranks with only a turn or two. Things have gone great until now. I have run a tractor with slobber before... I've seen the symptoms of running the diesels lightly also. I know there's been posts in the past about rear mains on these engines being problematic. However, it would seem to me that for this rear main seal to start dripping after 225 hours of hard work is unusual. Thats why i thought perhaps the fresh oil/filter may have been the trigger of something inside. my oil pressure responded after the oil change as i thought was usual, my old oil would run 50 lbs cold, 40 lbs hot. new oil runs 55-60 lbs cold and 45-50lbs hot. i have always run the rotella t 15w40 in her. we ran her today for antoher 5hours cutting waist high bahaia in 90 degree weather, the bahaia itself is a challenge, its like cutting wire. she ran perfect just a steady drip drip drip.

Read the 2011 comments. Apparently, some say its hit an miss on 2 piece install, other had techniques and special tools. Still other simply said let it mark its territory. Good read.
2011 Dexta rear main leakinf discussion

Thanks Wayne,
I had read that a long time ago, it is a good read. i'm thinking that my drip may just be what was considered "normal" for these old tractors with the rope. since i ran it hard for 200 hours with no leak at all, i guess the rope has worn a bit and is letting a small amount get by now. i thought about putting some rear main stop leak in to swell the rope, but i think it only works on rubber seals.
thanks, david