To do just the front seal you don't NEED to take the motor out, it's a similar job to doing a timing belt ...which you will need to replace anyway as it's no doubt soaked in oil.... and oil and timing belts do not mix.
You can access the area from the RH rear wheel arch, remove the crank V belt pulley, remove the timing belt cover and timing belt, remove the lower timing belt drive gear on the crank nose, and you will see the culprit.
Again it's a performing seal, like all modern Fiats, last time they used a rope type seal was back in the '40s...
You can prise them out of the housing in situ, and reinstall... but you risk not getting the seal in square, scouring the housing when removing etc etc, so removing the seal carrier and reinstalling a new seal on the bench usually works best... this can be easy or it can be hard depending if you tear the sump gasket that it also mates with... tear the sump gasket and yopu need to drop the sump... which isn't that hard on an X19 really.
You should do all three of the front seals while your in there, (and check condition of the cam gears and tensioner bearing) they will likely all be the same age and condition.
If you do just the crank seal then you could almost put money on the others not being too far behind it and beginning to leak in short order... rear crank seal likewise, hence the suggestion to drop the motor and do the lot.
It's definitely is easier to lower the engine down and lift it back up from underneath.... I've done 100's of sohc engines like this. (128's and X19's)
SteveC
