need advice on front main seal

[whitesho]

Ok, I've got a front main seal that is leaking oil. I was wondering a few things

1. Is there a good writeup on how to do it besides the one on shotimes.com?

2. How difficult is the job to do? What is involved?

3. I was thinking I might as well just replace the CPS and timing belt at the same time. Does this sound like a good idea or not? Is this seal going to require delving into the CPS and timing belt areas anyhow?

4. Where is the cheapest place to get the front seal, CPS, and timing belt at?

5. Should I replace anything else on the car while I am in it?

by the way, it is a 91 mtx, 130000 miles, supposedly had one 60k done on it

thanks for any info!

Joel

 

[ACV1081]

1)No but I'd wait I'm sure someone can help you here... Sdpatt did my seal and I'm sure he'd be more than helpful.

2)It is a descent amount of work but is rather painless if you've got good instructions which yo
u should have by the time you do it.

3)I'd go front main seal, CPS, waterpump, & timing belt. Yes you'll be in the heart of the front of the engine when you do the seal.

4)I believe I bought the seal from O' Reilys for $7, CPS there too for around $35(?), timing belt O' Reileys also for I think $14, & waterpump was $30 with a core of $15(?)... all these prices are close but I'm a little hazy cause it's been a few months.

5)As far as I know that would be it in that area of the car but others can elaborate if I'm missing something.

Hope this helps & this inspires me to see where my oil leak is coming from in my 91'... good luck anyhow. thumbs_u

 

[luigisho]

I'm not sure if Scott has a step by step approach written up or not. Mark N. (drivinhard here) sells a 60k video that would have these procedures included.

 

[BeatDaSHO]

Yo WhiteSHO. Actually, my brother and I just replaced my front main seal last weekend. We got a writeup from SDPatt on how to do it. Just ask him to send it to you. I also have it so if you would like it, I can send it to you. Just email me at [email protected] and i will be glad to give it to you. You have to take off the timing belt and the cps to get to the front main seal so you could just replace it all. I got the front main seal from a ford dealership up the street from me. cost me $10.25. I didn't replace the cps or the timing belt because i believe the previous owner replaced them already. Good luck with it all. Just pay attention to what you are doing and you'll do fine. You are going to have to get some pullers for the crank also. Peace.

Greg

 

[sdpatt]

I am sending you the SHO Registry magazine's procedure on the timing belt change for the 3.0L engine. I am also attaching the spreadsheet I keep for the best sources for the parts.

To access the seal, the timing belt must be removed first. Beyond that, you must then pull the crankshaft timing belt pulley. You can use the two, 80mm long M6 bolts in the lower timing belt cover with the damper puller to slide the pulley off the crankshaft. This will expose the main seal. I remove the seal by carefully drilling a 7/64" hole in the center of the span of the seal. I then screw a blunt-tipped self tapping screw into the hole. Pull on the screw with pliers to remove the seal. It may come out easily or you may have to put a foot up on the subframe. If this fails, you can turn the screw until it bottoms against the metal inside the seal (this is a last chance option). Press the new seal in with your thumbs and the handle end of a socket wrench until the seal is at least flush with the housing.

To view the images of the crank pulley and front main seal from several of the serice jobs I have performed, you can click the address below and enter your guest password: service

http://www.photoisland.com/servlet/GuestLogin?USERNAME=sdpatterson

<small>[ March 12, 2002, 11:27 AM: Message edited by: sdpatt ]</small>

 

[Catfishphillip]

Scott's got it, alright. I just did this Saturday and Sunday - rent a harmonic balancer puller from Autozone and use it for the crank pulley and the timing cog. Be sure to smear some grease along the entire exposed crankshaft before reinstalling both. The shotimes tutorial is right on.

To get the crank pulley bolt off is very easy: use a 19mm socket on a 1/2" drive ratchet (set to untighten) and lay it up on the bolt and the front subframe. Unplug the DIS module on the front intake to keep the car from starting. Gently bump the starter and the bolt should come free. I had to do this several times but it worked w/o air wrenches and cussing.

The CPS does not have to be removed to change the main seal; two phillips screws hold it to the block. My water pump was leaking coolant from its weephole onto the cps. The oil seal is below the CPS. One catalytic is right below that - I hate the smell of burning oil and coolant together! I changed the CPS and the water pump. you must remove the timing belt to get to the pump. Consider either changing the water pump o-ring or cleaning up the mating surfaces and applying a small amount of form-a-gasket on it.

Just like the valve cover o-rings that leak, the main seal gets hard after years of oil and heat, and it just can't seal well anymore. I pried mine out with a screwdriver. Coat all mounting surfaces of the seal with motor oil and tap in the edges of the seal carefully and evenly with a small block of wood and gentle taps with a hammer (there are many ways to install a seal).
If your car has 130,000 miles, now or fairly soon would be a good time to screw the pooch and get your 60K stuff done. My car has 180K miles and this is its third sevice. The PS had the car 10 years and did it twice. I have all the valve lash tools and plan to remove the intake manifold again in April to perform the valve lash adjustment. I highly recommend you research and study different information sources to understand the procedures, then get your tool kit together (5mm and 6mm allen sockets are a must!) and take your time! Get some good mechanic's gloves and save your knuckles from punishment.

Good luck!