Only replacing 2 out of 3 cam seals

[animex2]

Well as of last week, it looks like I gotta suck it up and do the front 60k. I have a steady oil leak only when the car is on, its just a small drip every 2-3 seconds, but it lands right on the cat making lots of smoke.

I thought it was the oil pan beacuse the oil pan was covered with oil, and it looked like it was comming out of it, but me and alex re-sealed the **** out of it for the 2nd time, and for sure its not the pan this time.

So im assuming its the cam seals, but is there any way to tell what one? I saw that doing the first two cam seals looked pretty easy (well not easy, but not super hard either) but that third one looked like a nightmare from ****. Id like to only replace the two if theres no evidense the third one is leaking.

so like I said, is there any way to tell what the one with the bad seal is?

I also have a new timing cover gasket to throw on.

and yes, this is my first time going this deep into an engine, the extent of my knowing how to do shit to a engine is replacing a alternator or a water pump (on my 3.8 SLO)

 

[SHObill]

I highly doubt its cam seals with it leaking that much!
Probably the frt main seal. Pull the cam sensor off & look inside-if any oil-replace all seals while your there.

 

[K-Dawg]

It makes no sense to replace only two of the cam seals. The hardest one to get to (in the back, behind the cam sensor) is the one that seems to leak the most, from my experiences.

 

[Vnuk1]

 

[animex2]

I highly doubt its cam seals with it leaking that much!
Probably the frt main seal. Pull the cam sensor off & look inside-if any oil-replace all seals while your there.

this is where im confused, what is the front main seal? i asked for one at the store and they gave me a timing cover gasket.

It makes no sense to replace only two of the cam seals. The hardest one to get to (in the back, behind the cam sensor) is the one that seems to leak the most, from my experiences.

figures with my luck

hey man, have you read the guide to replace the cam seals? the first 2 are not that easy, but that 3rd one looks like a nightmare from ****.

 

[animex2]

OK - i feel ******** now

Ive had my termonolgy alllll mixed up

1st of all, ive been saying rear main seal beacuse its leaking near the rear of the car, but i realised the engine is sideways in a fwd car, so rear main is near the trans, and front main is near the oil pan.

2nd of all, i found out saying front main seal and crankshaft seal can be used interchangeably, this has been throwing me off.

now that I have everything cleared up mentally, im ready to run at this physically.

If I want a good job done, im gonna do it right so..

I gotta buy a 3rd camshaft seal, a new CPS and a new timing belt, I already have 2 camshaft seals and 1 crankshaft (front main) seal

and my question has already been answered on if I can get away from doing 2 instead of all 3.

 

[SHOlover1]

the 60k is not really that hard but if its your first time doing it it can be annoying but it only took about 14 hours work time if you did it straight but wouldn't recommend it but when in comes to cam seals i recommend a scratch awl as a punch and a wood or dry wall screw and it will pop on out front main the same way dont for get the washer that goes after the timing sprocket cause the 60k doesnt remind you and i forgot and the belt just about came off but yea hope your rear main doesnt blow after the front 60k like mine did

 

[Eric VerValin]

they are such a pain the ass to get to "easily". Just buy the 3rd seal and be done with it.

Also, when I pick at those seals, I always poke in towards the cam, instead of against the heads.. steel / aluminum.. you know what I'm sayin..

 

[itwonder]

Not the front main seal if leaking on cat. Valve cover or oil pressure sensor maybe. Cam seal maybe. Are you sure it's not the power steering hose?? Remove the cam sensor. If there is oil in the cavity behind it, then the seal is worn out. My experience is the front two are less likely to leak, probably due to it being cooler up front. It's not that hard to change the rear cam seal once you get stuff out of the way, and buy a cheap angle drill from Harbor Freight. Drill a small hole in the seal's case, insert a self tapping screw 2-3 turns, pull seal out.