In that case I’d be interested to see what that seal looked like. A catastrophic seal failure in an older motor is fairly unusual when the seal hasn’t had earlier issues.
The fuel was more than suspect, if contamination somehow was also present in the crankcase then that could result in seal failure. All in all this is pretty unusual.
One interesting thing I’ve recently come across is three non-running full crank Victa mowers being offered for sale by different sellers that seem superficially in good nick but, upon close examination, look to have got very wet. That is the plug has evidence of rust and/or the engine is very very grainy when I attempt to turn it via the blade plate with the plug removed. I suspect they were in sheds that leaked in recent storms or were victims of rising water.
