More questions than answers (Engine Failure)

["cruznmd" <racuti1@xxxx>]

For anyone who's been following this odessey, I have:

Drilled out that last stuck clutch pressure plate bolt. Removed the 
clutch and flywheel. I found, absolutely nothing.

I'll recap the symptoms: Engine behaved as though it had a vacuum 
leak (which I couldn't find) Oil mixed with coolant on the ground (at 
least 1/2 to 1 quart). The bottom of the engine was totally wet with 
the mix, especially the tranny end of the engine, and the crossbeam. 
The rest of the engine was totally dry. To me, this suggested a 
cracked block, or blown headgasket(s). Some of you (and the folks at 
DMCH) informed me that crack blocks were extremely rare and a blown 
head gasket was much more likely.

Fine. But that didn't answer where the fluid came from. There was a 
lot of it, but none of it came from where the heads mate to the 
block. It all seemed centered around the bottom of the tranny, 
smearing back all over the bottom of the engine. The more stuff I got 
apart, the more of the trail I could see, the more convinced I was 
that the crank seal blew out. When I removed the tranny, there was 
even a -puddle- of the fluid mix in the bellhousing.

I looked all over. I can't find a crack. The crank seal is dry. No 
snail trail. WHERE is this stuff coming from????? Test this theory: 
Is there positive pressure in the oil pan when the engine runs? Did 
the oil pan gasket give out, spraying that area of the engine? It's 
the right location. The whole oil pan gasket is leaking. The bottom 
dust plate for the clutch was missing when I took it all apart. Did 
it spray in there, and leave the puddle in the bellhousing?

One final question: I have a new crank seal. Even though the old one 
seems intact, should I replace it or not mess with it???

Sorry for the length. 
Rich
#5335 -MD