2G need some pro adivce about a few things please.

[VanIsleDSM]

I've got all OEM parts coming to replace my T-belt, including a new crank pully and all new seals for the front of the engine, this includes

camshaft seals

Front Cover (oil pump case) Gasket

Balance Shaft Seal

Oil Pump Seal

Timing Cover Seal

Oil Filter Bracket Gasket

Front Case "O" Ring

now I've never taken on anything like this before, mostly because I've never had the tools, but I've been building on that and I'm good to start tackling just about anything..





I'd like some advice on how to properly install all of these seals, it may sound stupid, but I've never done any seal replacements before...are many of them hard to get out? any tips or tricks? do I oil any of the o-rings before installing them like I would an oil filter? do I need to remove the crank sprocket? I would imagine so, is it possible to take that off without air?

Also, the car has 95000km (59000miles) and it has been run on conventional oil, I want to switch to synthetic, I've heard I should run a flushing oil through before I do this, I've been planning on doing a seafoam run through the intake before I drop to oil when I do all of this work.. my question is, should I run the flushing oil before I change the seals or after? or should I just put seafoam in my oil? how long should I run seamfoam in my oil before I drop it?

...and just one more question, with a decently low milage car like this, what weight should I run? I live in moderate climate, it might go down to -2C or around 30F at night, that's as cold as it will really get.. warmer during the day obviously... I ran 10w-30 syntec belnd in my old dsm, is synthetic weight comparable to conventional weight? if so I'll just go 10w-30 again.

Thanks.

 

[GVR4592]

For removal of the seals, don't pry them out, that's how front cases get destroyed. There are two methods I've used with success. I've used a self tapping screw and screwed it into the metal part of the seal. Then I grab the screw with a pair of pliers and pull the seal out. The other way is to drive them out from the back with a socket, or seal installation tool

Installing the seals is pretty straighforward. Make sure the surface is clean and free of any burrs. I always use a light coat of oil on the seals before I install them. It makes them go in easier and they're less likely to get damaged during installation. For most of the smaller seals a socket works perfectly for driving them in. Make sure the seal is going in evenly or it could deform the seal and cause a leak.

Don't use any RTV on the seals or gaskets. It's not necessary and may actually cause a leak.

The crank sprocket does need to come off, as does the oil pan. I've never taken the crank sprocket off without air tools so I don't have any good advice for that.

Switching to a synthetic oil can be a pain in the ass. You do need to do some sort of flush to get the sludge and deposits out the engine. I would do it before you change the seals and gaskets. Even then you might get some small leaks and/or some phantom knock.

 

[SkinnyBAM]

Im in the middle of doing the timing belt, water pump, balance belt, and all pulleys...the crankshaft sprocket is a pain in the ass, I had to mess up my timing cover a little bit just to pull it out, if you can get a decent leverage point take some kind of bar and use it to push the engine over enough to pull it out

 

[AntixTSi]

As a rule of thumb conventional oil sticks better but synthetic oil lubricates better. When you flush out the sludge it can remove the oil coating that always remains on engine parts... it can make the transition easier if you use a synthetic blend for the first 1500 or so to recoat everything, this will reduce the chance of leaks.
-Mark

 

[steve]

My crank sprockets are always stuck to the crank pulley and wind up sliding back and forth on the crankshaft in the process of getting the pulley off. So when I go to remove the sprocket it just slides right off.

Steve