Not seeing how to do this in my "amazing" Chilton's manual. I have a 97 Legacy Brighton (EJ22) and she is leaking oil like crazy from that seal.

 

Do I have to pull the crank shaft to do this? Or do I just pull the front pulley and everything off.

Harmonic balancer(crank pulley) and the splined sprocket behind it that drives the timing belt. And of course the TB cover.

 

I used to use a pic but recently bought the Lisle "cam in sprocket" or some weird name as is posted here. Makes it much easier especially when the engine is in the car.

 

You probably want to pull the rad fans, and I ALWAYS put coardboard in there to protect the rad/condensor, etc.

 

I use PVC to reset it.

 

Suby only seal unless you wanna practive doing this again.

 

I'd do atleast the timing belt. I'd probably do idlers, WP, etc while I was in there - but that's me. Even potentially cam seals - gotta be the same age.

 

Make SURE you ge tthe harmonic balancer tight when re-installing.

Ok thanks.

Edited August 29, 200916 yr by EA82Loyale

. . . and she is leaking oil like crazy from that seal.

 

 

Ea82, are your sure it's the seal and not the oil pump? By all means replace the seal but while you're there pull the pump and make sure the backing plate screws are tight (Loctite them if they're not) and repalce the pump o-ring too.

 

Good luck.

Ea82, are your sure it's the seal and not the oil pump? By all means replace the seal but while you're there pull the pump and make sure the backing plate screws are tight (Loctite them if they're not) and repalce the pump o-ring too.

 

Good luck.

 

It's for sure the crankshaft seal, I can see it leaking like crazy. I'm all the way down that far now. How do I remove the seal?

It's for sure the crankshaft seal, I can see it leaking like crazy. I'm all the way down that far now. How do I remove the seal?

 

Oh I see...the crankshaft seal is part of the oil pump. Makes sense now.

You want to pull the oil pump off and check the screws on the back. When they come loose, oil pressure pushes out the seal. If they are loose and you don't tighten them, you will lose another seal right away. It's not much more work at all to pull the pump, check the screws/loctite and reseal the pump to the block. You will need a new oil pump o-ring and some sealant.

It's for sure the crankshaft seal, I can see it leaking like crazy. I'm all the way down that far now. How do I remove the seal?

 

Some people use a small pick tool...kind of like a dentists tool for scraping your teeth

I tried this the first time and apend 45 mins per cam seal and was cussing up a storm

Got to be careful not to scratch/gouge the alum. housing

 

Based on recommendations here, I purchased this on ebay

http://www.autobarn.net/lisleshaftpuller.html

By coincidence I used it for the first time today

WHAT a dream!....if it does not start moving right away...I tap it in a smig just to break it loose...then pull out

If you take the oil pump out, its real easy to take out seal

if you're feeling adventurous...i punched (with a drill punch) two small holes on either side of the crank to get through the metal backing on the seal (just enough to get into the seal not the whole way through) - then screwed two very small self tapping sheet metal screws into those holes (again be careful to not go the whole way through)

 

This allows you to get a grip and work the seal out with pliers by alternately pulling on each side. Don't try this if you're not sure cuz if you scratch the seal contact surface, you're screwed:lol: no pun intended!

I tried the sheet metal screw trick. I won't try it again. I found the metal in the seal is really hard, and pushed the bit towards the crank. The crank seal surface got chewed slightly. It is a miracle it would still seal, after some filing and emery paper. One of these days, it will get one of those cranksavers that slip on to replace the sealing surface, but it works for now.

 

The seal comes off pretty easily. A pick will do it. It has far less potential for chewing up your crank than a power tool.

 

Rob.

if you're feeling adventurous...i punched (with a drill punch) two small holes on either side of the crank to get through the metal backing on the seal (just enough to get into the seal not the whole way through) - then screwed two very small self tapping sheet metal screws into those holes (again be careful to not go the whole way through)

 

This allows you to get a grip and work the seal out with pliers by alternately pulling on each side. Don't try this if you're not sure cuz if you scratch the seal contact surface, you're screwed:lol: no pun intended!

 

I've done the same thing many many times...works like a charm... As mentioned just be careful....