For those with Sprintex 3.8 kits..... was a bit unlucky some time back, a plastic idler pulley failed and the belt carried some of the melted plastic pulley up to the blower which rubbed on the front blower seal when it was running. Couldn't see it stationary but when running...... unlikely but there you go.
Replaced all the plastic pulleys at the time with metal ones - problem with pulleys gone
Long and short was that it was still oil tight..... but maintenance was required,
Contacted Sprintex ( didn't want to start something I would regret later.... ) and they no longer do blower service but were very free with information and suggested that the front seal and bearing ( whilst you've got it apart ) are very simple to change so why not DIY ?
So..... they were right, needed to make a pin spanner to hold the blower pulley and use a HEX key to loosen the centre bolt ( its right hand thread BTW ). A piece of flat steel and two bolts in the right place was all it needed to hold the blower pulley. Remove the centre bolt and the pulley then just pulls straight off by hand.
Drain the blower oil.....
Then remove the six cap screws holding the front cover to the blower.
A gentle tap sideways was required to break the silicone seal between the front cover and the blower..... then it pulled straight off without effort.
There's a internal circlip holding the bearing into the front housing so you'll need internal circlip piers or whatever.....
Pull out the seal ( a seal remover makes it dead easy )
Once the circlip is removed you can then press out the bearing.
Both the bearing and seal are "off the shelf" items.... Sprintex can supply but they once again suggested that getting them locally was likely easier and cheaper.
Bearing is a 60/32 2RS ( the 2RS mean it has seals that you need to remove, and wash out all the grease as the bearing is used in the front cover so its oil lubricated. )
Seal is a 47OD x 30ID x 7 thick double lip Viton.
Assembly is the reverse of disassembly with a bit of silicone on the front case to keep the oil in.
Making the tool and doing the overhaul...... a couple of hours.
Obviously disassembling the blower further than the front cover, seal and front bearing is likely not advisable as clearances are very important and I guess not a DIY job unless your very brave,