Balance shaft freeze plug installed backwards???

[kneipperk]

So my buddy was working on my oil pump while i was doing who knows what in the shop, and after the oil pump got installed i noticed he installed my balance shaft freeze plug the opposite way I don't really see it being a issue, but i notice everybody else installed them the other way. It is the oem rubber coated freeze plug and its RTV'd and dried. Is this a bad thing? Other than that, this engine is finally ready to be dropped into the car. The only other ugly thing i notice is the dented up timing cover

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[Dsmkauai]

The only potential problem Would be a oil leak. Did he fill the backside with rtv as well? Other than that it really shouldn't be a issue. Question for you! Do your timing marks line up right? Looks almost a tooth off, unless it's the way you have it rotated. Just checking

 

[RamenPride]

Looks like it shouldn't be a problem since I see RTV all around the sides of the plug.

...and yeah, looks like you're off a tooth on the cam gears

 

[tmoney20g]

Might not be off a tooth, looking at the oil pump gear, its a tooth-off counter-clockwise, so if he lines that and the crank pulley up, seems like the cam gears will line up.

And the preferred way of doing the plug is "gold" side showing, that way the large flat surface is towards the motor. This shuns more oil from trying to make its way towards a leak.

@kneipperk Are you sure the balance shafts were deleted properly ? I still see the balance shaft belt pulley there behind the crank pulley. A proper kit would come with the spacer to remove/replace that.

 

[19Eclipse90]

If it is sealed properly, it doesn't matter which way it goes. I feel inclined to note, also, that it is very common to reuse the balance shaft pulley and that provides no indication as to whether the BSE was done "properly" at all.

 

[tmoney20g]

Doesn't hurt to ask, he didn't do the work himself, so I thought it my duty to question it.

Oh yea, and don't forget to grind down the big front motor mount bracket where the bottom right exhaust stud would hit it. That way you can take the head on/off the block without removing that bracket.

 

[Wayne]

That is installed correctly, As it is not actually a "freeze plug" it installs flat side out just like you would a cmp block off plug, if it has sealer on it as well it will be just fine.

 

[kneipperk]

the backside isnt filled. I think i was locating all the missing parts and cleaning stuff up when he put the oil pump on. I feel i should have done the bse myself. Yes the timing is correct, That is 1 thing that i made sure i did personally.. As tmoney said look at the oil pump. I spun the engine over by hand about 20times and that is just where it landed when i took the pic[DOUBLEPOST=1417139939][/DOUBLEPOST]

Doesn't hurt to ask, he didn't do the work himself, so I thought it my duty to question it.

Oh yea, and don't forget to grind down the big front motor mount bracket where the bottom right exhaust stud would hit it. That way you can take the head on/off the block without removing that bracket.

Good advice about grinding that bracket. Thanks[DOUBLEPOST=1417142680][/DOUBLEPOST]

Might not be off a tooth, looking at the oil pump gear, its a tooth-off counter-clockwise, so if he lines that and the crank pulley up, seems like the cam gears will line up.

And the preferred way of doing the plug is "gold" side showing, that way the large flat surface is towards the motor. This shuns more oil from trying to make its way towards a leak.

@kneipperk Are you sure the balance shafts were deleted properly ? I still see the balance shaft belt pulley there behind the crank pulley. A proper kit would come with the spacer to remove/replace that.

I didnt even think of the spacer... dsm graveyard doesn't use a spacer though. VFAQ doesn't list it either. I dont see the pulley being a problem, do you?

 

[tmoney20g]

I've never used graveyard, and after what people say on here, I never would.

Here's a proper BSE:

http://www.jnztuning.com/product_info.php?products_id=126

And the best way to do it, is the JNZ welded front oem case, like mine (and I bucked up for the straight cut gears):

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Edit: Yea, back in the days of vfaq, I think we as dsmr's had just figured out the stubby shaft. Some people were getting solid shafts, and not the 1.6 shaft, and I guess someone finally put together the 1.6L spacer in the kit as well. We also used to jb weld in a real freeze plug until the black plastic/gold plug came out too.

 

[Dsmkauai]

Jnz, stm, and extremepsi has them in there kit if Im remembering correctly. I got my spacer from Jnz.

 

[kneipperk]

I'm still curious about the spacer... Whats the point, other than removing a few ounces of weight off the crank? I mean... This is a fairly stock build. I'm not trying to run 9's in the 1/4.. Is it really that necessary?

 

[RamenPride]

I'm still curious about the spacer... Whats the point, other than removing a few ounces of weight off the crank? I mean... This is a fairly stock build. I'm not trying to run 9's in the 1/4.. Is it really that necessary?

The spacer isn't necessary, you can just re-install the sprocket for the balance shaft belt.