Roger that. I was going to start spraying some WD-40 around the shaft to see if that would somewhat "seal" any leaks that might originate there, but I ran into something else once she got up to temp.....
I just put the carb back-on about about two/three days ago, after I put the engine in, but I did think of that. No joy.
Anywhoooo, once she got up to temp and I got all of the fluids topped-off, I thought I'd rev it up/"give her the onions" just a little bit, and I'll be damned if she doesn't make a rattling/clacking noise around 2,000 RPM or so from the front of the engine somewhere. Which makes my heart drop.
No video, as I didn't have the heart to continue on, so I'm done for the night, back in the house, and licking my wounds, as it were.