BSEK install question

[TheStock]

I know it's not necessary to remove the front balance shaft, but even if I wanted to I can't get the engine low enough because the AC pulley is hitting the suspension support. The haynes book I have doesn't talk about the compressor at all, any idea on how to remove the pulley? I didn't know if it was just as simple as removing what looks like a nut in the middle, if that's the case I wish I would've known before I took the belts off...

 

[project_tsi]

Ill give you some advice as to what I did when doing my BSEK. I too had my AC compressor on at the time.

I did the exact opposite of what you are trying to do. Instead lowering the engine to an extreme rate to remove the front cover, I actually lifted the engine up and almost out of the car.
Heres what your going to have to do if you want to do it my way. I love doing it my way, and I'll never do it the way your saing.

Drop your driveshaft and remove your tranfer case. If you don't the engine can't life up in the engine bay, so dropping the transfer case is a must for this.
Next pull both your front axles out. You may be able to get away w/ just removing the drivers side axle out, but I highly reccomend removing both due to the extreme rate that your going to be lifting the engine up.
Now hook up a cherry picker/shop crane or electric left to the engine's timing side/ or close to it. In the middle is ok too. W/ the engine supported slightly, remove the timing side, front, and rear motor mounts. The front and rear is just a single bolt that that needs to be removed, and obviously you know how to remove the t-belt side. Now the only mount left is the tranny mount, leave this one in. Now start to stowly lift up the engine, and disconnect anything, like hoses, wires, etc, that gets in the way. The alternator and PS pump does not need to be removed. If you unhook everything that gets in the way, then you can easily jack up the engine to the point of easy access to the entire front cover. This is also how I do my timing jobs. Its so easy for me now. It alows me to see everything so much clearer. Also nows a good time to completely unhood your AC compressor, if you don't want AC anymore.

Hope this helps, Dan

 

[DSM90AWD]

I know it's not necessary to remove the front balance shaft, but even if I wanted to I can't get the engine low enough because the AC pulley is hitting the suspension support. The haynes book I have doesn't talk about the compressor at all, any idea on how to remove the pulley? I didn't know if it was just as simple as removing what looks like a nut in the middle, if that's the case I wish I would've known before I took the belts off...

On mine (1G) I removed that center nut with my impact wrench then had to separate the pully from the compressor with a small gear puller.

FYI.. I left my front one in with the belt removed and have had no problems whatsoever. A friend of mine had removed his front shaft sections ala Sawzall

Good luck

 

[TheStock]

Ok, I've got the oil pump cover out and the front balance shaft out. Now how do I get to the 2nd bearing on the front shaft so I can remove it and put the new one in? Or maybe I'd be better off just putting the front shaft back in..

 

[Mike1992]

I used the balance shaft itself to knock out the old bearings and install the new ones.

 

[project_tsi]

I too used the shaft to knock it out, but I use a bearing driver to install the new one.

 

[TheStock]

I was hoping I wouldn't have to do that because when I lower the engine enough to get the front shaft out or in the front axle starts pissing tranny fluid. It seemed like there was a lot of stuff in the way anyways, you two are saying it's possible to get the bearing out and in with all that $hit in the way?
Stupid phillips screw on the back of the oil pump cover is stuck too, might have to drill. fun stuff..

 

[TheStock]

Thanks for the replys, appreciate the feedback. My "subscribing" isn't working for some reason, took awhile to find it the post...

 

[mavisky]

I merged the two identical threads, so it may look a little weird here.

 

[TheStock]

Ok, so after a few hours of smacking the front shaft with a small sledge hammer and taking turns laying under the car with my dad we finally got the rear and front bearing installed. One thing I would like to say though is that I came accross two different installs with pictures and would like to point out that if you take the funky shaped cap off from the front of the oil pump cover that you can remove the rear shaft and install the new one from the BSEK without taking off the back cover on the oil pump cover. I took this cap off and almost stripped the phillips screw on the back cover only to realize I only had to do one or the other... not both.
Today I went to schucks and ran into a guy that had a nice green talon who mentioned that some people have some bad problems with the BSEK, that some even have the check engine light come on. I searched dsmtuners and posdsm and didn't read anything about check engine lights.. hope this doesn't happen in my case.

 

[TheStock]

I found that once I took the cross member off, that the engine pivoted enough towards the front of the car that the AC pulley was not a problem. And my axle stopped leaking fluid after a couple minutes from having the engine low enough for the front shaft to come out. There wasn't that much fluid in the little bucket I had underneath it, so I'm not too worried about it for now. Going to change it to that BG synchroshit II soon anyway.

Ok, so the car is finally put back together. Started it up and everything seems to be running just fine, no weird noises or bad vibrations or any leaks that I can see. Haven't gotten a check engine light either... Took it around the block a couple times, all good so far. It's on garaged insurance right now so I can't take it out and really see if it's good in all "driving conditions" yet, but I'm happy with the outcome.

Thanks guys for your advice, I appreciate you taking the time to reply to my posts.