Vibration damper and front oil seal – removal and installation
Warning: Wait until the engine is completely cool before beginning this procedure.
1. Disconnect the cable from the negative terminal of the battery (see Engine electrical systems).
2. Remove the engine drivebelt (see Tune-up and routine maintenance).
3. Drain the coolant (see Tune-up and routine maintenance), remove the upper radiator hose and remove the fan shroud (see Cooling, heating and air conditioning systems).
4. Remove the large vibration damper-to-crankshaft bolt. To keep the crankshaft from turning, install a chain wrench around the circumference of the pulley. Use a piece of rubber (old drivebelt, old timing belt, etc.) under the chain to protect the vibration damper from nicks or gouges (see illustration).
8.4 Use a chain wrench to lock the vibration damper – position a piece of an old timing belt or drivebelt underneath the chain wrench to prevent damaging the damper
5. Using the proper puller (commonly available from auto parts stores), detach the vibration damper (see illustration).
Caution: Do not use a puller with jaws that grip the outer edge of the pulley. The puller must be the type that utilizes three arms to apply force to the pulley hub only. Also, the puller screw must not contact the threads in the nose of the crankshaft; it must use an adapter that allows the puller screw to apply force to the end of the crankshaft nose or a spacer must be inserted into the nose of the crankshaft to protect the threads.
8.5 Use a three-jaw puller to remove the vibration damper from the crankshaft
6. If the seal is being removed while the cover is still attached to the engine block, carefully pry the seal out of the cover with a seal removal tool or a large screwdriver (see illustration).
Caution: Do not scratch, gouge or distort the area that the seal fits into or an oil leak will develop.
8.6 Use a seal puller to remove the front seal from the timing chain cover
7. Clean the bore to remove any old seal material and corrosion. Position the new seal in the bore with the seal lip (usually the side with the spring) facing IN (toward the engine). A small amount of oil applied to the outer edge of the new seal will make installation easier.
8. Drive the seal into the bore with a seal driver or a large socket and hammer until it’s completely seated (see illustration). Select a socket that’s the same outside diameter as the seal and make sure the new seal is pressed into place until it bottoms against the cover flange.
8.8 Use a seal driver or a large socket to drive the new seal into the cover
9. Check the surface of the damper that the oil seal rides on. If the surface has been grooved from long-time contact with the seal, replace the vibration damper.
10. Lubricate the seal lips with engine oil and reinstall the vibration damper, aligning the Woodruff key on the nose of the crankshaft with the keyway in the damper hub. Use a special installation tool (available at most auto parts stores) to press the vibration damper onto the crankshaft.
11. Install the vibration damper bolt and tighten it to the torque listed in this Chapter’s Specifications.
12. The remainder of installation is the reverse of removal.
13. Refill the cooling system (see Tune-up and routine maintenance).