JD 720 Flywheel side oil leak, HELP!

Thanks for the help,
Jonathan

I'll start at the cover. Removed cover, removed flywheel, removed outer bearing cover, removed flywheel spacer. There was a fiber washer on the crank outside of the main bearing cover. It was broken and mangled. My service manual shows this washer should be there. It also shows one on the other side of the main bearing. Since this one was broken, I went no farther. Put new washer in, put spacer back on, a little silicone on bearing cover and put it back on centering it over the spacer, put flywheel back on and lined up drive pin in spacer, set end play to .010", and tightend flywheel to 275 ft/lbs, jam nut, and cover. Did not leak for a few hours, but leak came back.

I have not tore back into it. Maybe one night this week I can. I suppose the oil may be coming from the spacer. Is it really necessary to go to Deere for the seal in the spacer or can a flat O-ring be used or some other gasket material? Isnt it's sole purpose to seal the spacer to the crank so no oil slips out between the spacer and the crank? I hate silicone, but in this case would it help or cause problems?

I didnt pull the main bearing the first go round because the oil appears to be leaking under or around the spacer and I didnt think there was anything on the other side of the main to stop the oil. No need to go deeper than needed.

Thanks for the help,
Jonathan

I am not trying to cheap out. I just didnt want to have to do it again next week. Deere had some problem when I looked for the washer. They did not show the seal in the spacer as being a separate item. It was show with the $80 spacer. That maybe the only way to get it.

The main bearing is tight. The tractor had been sitting for awhile. This isnt the only oil leak that showed up after we started using it.

Thanks for the info
Jonathan