It finally happened, I am replacing front seal and left mount, after that.
What a SOB job that is, I tell you.
Front pulley is sitting on a cone shaped shim insert, which keeps pulley tightly on, even after it is broken off its place. Not too mention that front engine wall is made of eggshell thin aluminum, so any kind of prying will break it.
Seal itself is some odd plastic seal, with no round spring at all, just waiting to harden up and leak. There is also an o-ring inside the pulley, preventing oil leaks from the center bolt, that ring fossilized into pure plastic.

 

Yes, please DO post some photos.

Did you develop a big oil leak up front? Did the seal die slowly or all at once?


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It kept PMSing on my garage floor, for a while, but small drops kept developing into puddles, until I was adding 1 qt of oil per ~500 miles.
It was definitely that damn seal, because I could see radial oil streaks going from the crankshaft.

 

Ok, talking to myself here, but still need to update all ya'll.

Job is done and here is thee sequence. To get left mount replaced, best way to do is pull the steering rack off its place and disconnect steering shaft. Very important to make a tiny mark on the shaft with metal punch, to know how it goes back together. Otherwise steering wheel is gonna go off center.
Entire process is done from underneath, so do not bother squeezing between manifold and side wall.
Also, be very careful unbolting X-brace off the bottom of front end. Front bolts are rusting onto thread in core support, so brake fluid has to be applied inside core support, where these bolts are. I managed to break one off inside and ended up welding stud onto core support instead.

Front seal is made of plastic and has no internal spring, kinda odd style, but I bought original one anyways. There is also thin o-ring to be replaced, it goes inside front pulley, it secures oil from coming out from the center bolt.

 

FYI- I was able to do it with a hoist- lifted the engine just enough to wiggle it out after removing the nut on the other side as well.

 

I could not get hoist above lift, so we decided to go from the bottom.
BTW, is it true that right mount is usually OK, or do I need to replace both?

 

Do NOT lubricate the seal lip when you install the front pulley. They are designed to be dry, unlike a standard seal. You can likely press it into place with your fingers, but be careful not to allow it to pass all the way through! There is no lip inside to stop it! As for the mounts... yep, not much fun.

 

I did not lube it much, just gave it a rub around with my greasy fingers.
Pressing it in was not hard and I did realize that it would fall in if went too far.
Important part is tiny o-ring inside the pulley, because this is what prevents oil from coming out of pulley bolt. Thanks!