Easier way to replace rear cam seal?? Anyone??

[fordguy85]

Geez, I know how hard this thing is to replace just by looking at the position where its in. From experience, I'm sure someone out there has found easier steps or tools to get the old one out and put the new one in. Feedback is much appreciated since I am going to tackle this thing myself, oil is falling over the PS pump and a lot of smoke is billowing out of the side. Any advise will be of much help. Thanks

 

[Rubix]

The best way to do this procedure is the way shophoenixproject.com explains. If you wish to make that procedure only a little easier you can add a few more step and remove the rear valve cover and then the cam cap. This will make removing the old gasket and installing the new gasket much easier, but the rear valve cover can be a bit of a pain in the butt, so pick your poison here. Additionally, you will have to use ATX and reseal the cam cap and valve cover when reassembling, no big deal, but I just wanted to leave that reminder.

 

[LOUDSHO92]

I recently learned to hammer in a wood screw and then screw in the first couple threads. Do 2 of them and then pull out the sale. The other way I have done it was removing the cam cap but that means pulling the valve cover.

 

[itwonder]

These photos show how I go about it. It's helpful to take a little time to get stuff out of the way so you have plenty of room to work; intake crossover tank, upper timing cover, PS reservoir. Removing the old seal requires making a hole, then inserting a screw. Not too deep! two turns is enough. Pliers pull it out. Harbor Freight had an angle die grinder kit with a 1/8" collet, and that's what I use to make the hole. Others use a sharp punch. I recommend the Ford seal, more expensive but they are the most reliable about not leaking. Not shown in the photos, but a must do is apply a thin coat of RTV around the outside of the seal body before you install it. It will leak around the outside of the body if you don't.

Go slow installing the new seal. shophoenixproject levers it in. I could not get that to work for me. So I use a PVC coupling and a flat steel bar as a hammer. The geometry for the rear seal is unfortunate in that the cam sticks out so little. The seal lip is just starting up onto the cam when the seal body is entering its cavity. The result is there is nothing to help hold it straight. It will try to go cockeyed. If it goes too far, it can damage the lip and the new seal will leak. So take extra care to keep it going as straight as possible. Once the lip is up on the cam, you have it made. Just make sure it is fully seated square in the cavity. You might want to have an extra new seal just in case you mess one up as you learn.

 

[fordguy85]

To itwonder, you are the man!! I was planning on doing the exact same thing, I just don't have an angle drill like that. I will have to find something cordless or attack it at an angle to get screws in there. Thanks again and all those who took and interest in my post!!!

 

[Marccus]

Micro-Mark sells extremely small tools for the hobbyist. I purchased their "hand" drill bits once for something else. You use your fingers to drill into something by hand. I had a spare used cam seal and drilled into it with the same size bit with a power drill. Knowing the speed of the drill and the length of time to drill into it, one can calculate how many times I would have to turn my hand to do the same thing.

You can make two 180 degree turns with the bit with your fingers in about 1 second. I calculated I would have to turn the bit for about an hour in order to get it to a equivalent depth with the power drill, screw in a VERY small screw and pull the seal out. But you can't keep up a steady pace of two turns a second for an hour. So it took me about 2.5 hours to get the seal out to avoid tendinitis to my wrist and retain my sanity.

I'm stating this for info purposes only since I would never do it again.
:banghd:.............................

 

[itwonder]

Hey Guys, Harbor Freight has Item # 52848 Angle Die Grinder for $19.99 on sale right now ($24.99 regular price), and it comes with both the 1/4" and 1/8" collets.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-quarter-inch-front-exhaust-air-angle-die-grinder-52848.html

The 1/8" collet is hard to find, and it's also just what you need. It will, of course, hold a 1/8" drill bit. If you would rather use a little smaller bit, wrap some electrical tape around the shank, and it will work in the collet.

The die grinder is not a perfect drill. It will stop turning if you put much pressure on the bit. But it will do the job on a cam seal.

 

[AREA 91]

Geez, I know how hard this thing is to replace just by looking at the position where its in. From experience, I'm sure someone out there has found easier steps or tools to get the old one out and put the new one in. Feedback is much appreciated since I am going to tackle this thing myself, oil is falling over the PS pump and a lot of smoke is billowing out of the side. Any advise will be of much help. Thanks

I use a small punch that has been sharpened to a point on the end.
This allow's me to make the "pilot hole". I then use a coarse wood screw and thread it in a few turns.

Do not scratch the cam!!! You must be centered in the with of the seal.
Do not run the screw in too deep. This can cause it to "walk", resulting in the cam being scratched.

 

[DrivinFast]

Easiest way for me was to take a propane torch and heat up the old seal a little bit, the rubber gets nice and soft, I took an old pair of tweezers and split it in half like a wish bone. Used to one piece of the tweezers tro pry the old cam seal out. Took me 5 minutes.

 

[Marccus]

Easiest way for me was to take a propane torch and heat up the old seal a little bit, the rubber gets nice and soft, I took an old pair of tweezers and split it in half like a wish bone. Used to one piece of the tweezers tro pry the old cam seal out. Took me 5 minutes.

Pretty smart, my man.