Saab Repair: crank pulley seal, saab 900s, v belts


Question
Hi,
I have a 1985 Saab 900S with 207K miles.  I took it in to my local dealer for a minor repair and he came back and said that my crank pulley seal is leaking oil. He said it's not something that needs to be fixed immediately, but it should be done soon, because the leak will get worse and the oil is leaking onto my belt. I know that oil on the belt will shorten its life and so it should be avoided. He quoted me a price of $415 to replace it.  Is this something that can be repaired instead of replaced?  Is the price he quoted me reasonable?  
Thanks so much,
Kelly

Answer
Ok, your car has a timing CHAIN, so the only belt he is talking about would be the accessory drive belt. this is important, but not something devastating. Do you have a serpentine belt, or conventional V belt? If the leak is minor, and the belt is a conventional V type, I would leave it alone. V belts are cheap, and a crankseal can seep for years without developing a serious leak. They must be replaced, however, they cannot be repaired. However, if the leak is bad, and you have a serpentine belt, I would get the work done. Hope this helps. The price, I cannot comment on, sounds not outrageous, crank seals are a pain, can be labor-intensive.