Crank seal

[nzKAOSnz]

I have a N/A ej20 quadcam, and the puppy is leaking oil.

The oil is coming out of the timing belt cover in the centre.
Im assuming that this is from the main crank seal or oil pump.

I want to know a rough guide on how long it will take to replace the seal AFTER i have just got the timing belt off. (Timing belt changes get quick )

Also - if there is oil on the timing belt, do i worry bout it other than wiping it off with a rag? (Genuine subaru part about 10-20k ago).

Any other things i should know about?



(BTW- I have spent a fair amount of time searching - but havnt found anything on the time it would take/oil on belt issue)

[legacy92ej22t]

Once you have the timing belt off I'd say it should only take about another half an hour to get the seal pulled and replaced. The crank seal can be a bugger to get out sometimes so if you get hung up there, it could take slightly longer.

I've heard that it's bad to have an oil soaked belt but that's just a general thing I've heard. I don't know for absolute sure.

[Kelly]

T-Belt changes on quad cams are quick?

The seal can be a real bitch to get out if its old. They get kinda baked in. I use a small cheap(soft metal) screwdriver to go around and pry it out. Just be sure and not scratch any ot the surfaces. Youll tear up the old seal gettin it out, so be sure you clean the surfaces well once you get it out. Put some oil on the new seal. Dont bend it gettin it back in.

[dzx]

use a socket the same size of the seal to put it back in so it goes in evenly. It took about 2 hrs for me to do everything and then put it back together. You'll have to drain and remove the radiator most likely too.

[nzKAOSnz]

The biggest bastard of the TBelt change for the quadcams is the cams that are sitting on the top of the lobe. When they come off it they spin pretty quick and usually end up taking a substancial chunk of skin with it.

Vicegrips help lots too

I recall someone mentioning a tool made for removing seals. Has anyone seen one?.

Would a screwdriver covered in heatshrink be soft enough?

[94L_wagon]

Yep a seal puller can be had from almost any half decent auto parts store for about $10.

Its teflon coated and blunt so you won't run the risk of scratching anything. Just tap it in gently with a wooden mallet, then lever the seal out.

I actually find it quite easy to do using one of those screwdriver like objects that has a 'hook' on the end.

[nzKAOSnz]

kewl. Project for this weekend then.

(Must remember to time it )

[206er]

I used a cheap, small knife to jimmy in between the crank seal and the block, working it out bit by bit. I looked at the seal pullers they had at napa and decided that they wouldnt work as well. then I tapped the new one back in with a piece of wood and a deadblow mallet. simple to do once the timing belt/crank pulley is off.

[EJ20TMAN]

The biggest bastard of the TBelt change for the quadcams is the cams that are sitting on the top of the lobe. When they come off it they spin pretty quick and usually end up taking a substancial chunk of skin with it.

Vicegrips help lots too

I recall someone mentioning a tool made for removing seals. Has anyone seen one?.

Would a screwdriver covered in heatshrink be soft enough?

Yeah those passenger side cams are a total beatch aye man

[Kelly]

Snap On makes a kewl little tool that wedges between the cam sprockets, holds them in place, and is fully adjustable to be used on other DOHC motors. Seemed like they were reasonably priced for a Snap On tool as well.

[angus106]

My neighbour and I (neighbour is a subaru mechanic) did this just the other day only i had DEEPER issues! (waterpump was seized!), if u got all that stuff of the front of the engine u might as well do ALL of those seals if u haven't yet.... it's not really all that expensive, i did everything including the timing belt, so i really couldn't tell you how long it should take for you to do yours... but the mitchel ondemand said it should be like a 4 and a half to 5 hour job but when u have a trained subare tech things go MUCH FASTER (it might help that he has some rally crew experience too!)

good luck

[nzKAOSnz]

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!

It only took me 1/2hr to get timing belt off etc, now the fun starts

Taking the ^&**()( crank sprocket off.
It was stuck on there, and after reading everywhere about it, everyone saying "it will just wriggle off" etc, it wasnt. So after upsizing the tools, from screwdrivers to pullers to Jemmy bars, between me and my old man, using 2 crowbars, one large screwdriver and a hammer, we managed to get the brute to move. Each 5min we were getting it to move about 3mm. So it eventually came off, but halfway thru, one of the lug thingys off the side broke.

So now, where do i go to get that bit fixxed? Is it possible to get it welded back?
How much would subaru have the part for?
I need car asap :S

[evolutionmovement]

I'd send you one if you weren't so far away!

Put some grease on it before you put the new one back on.

Steve

[nzKAOSnz]

ahh. all back together and running. Always a good sign when u dont have any bolts/bolt holes left over at the end, and the car starts at first click.

New sprocket cost me only NZ$35!!!!!!!! (for comparison - price of a new dvd)
was expecting a $100+ price tag on that bit.

To do the seal, i took oilpump off and redid the o-ring, then changed the seal with the oilpump off. I could imagine it would be a bastard to get the seal on/off with the pump still on.

One of the Subaru FSM's recons that the waterpump needs to come off before the oilpump can. Is there any reason for this?
(I didnt - coz it would have meant draining coolent and aparently removing a cam sprocket.)


Greased it up, cleaned up the shaft, then still had to use a fair amount of force to fit crank sprocket on. but it eventually got on, and same deal with the crank pulley. Ahh well. Its all sweet now.

putting actual timing belt on- maybe 1-2hrs? (forgt to take notice of when i started again on it) Used 2 vicegrips - one clamped between the two pulleys LHS, and the other to clamp the belt onto the lower LHS pulley once rite

I reused the bottom dust seals of the timing belt cover, probably should have replaced them, mite do it sometime later.

Does anyone bother doing the bottom 4 fan/radiator bolts back up tight? Mine have been loose for the last 12months.


Cheers all