Front crankshaft seal/oil pump housing

[rodsax]

I am in the process of a complete front engine overhaul. This is the first time I've had to do this. Supposedly I have a low mileage Japanese engine, but I see signs that it has alot more miles than the approx. 80K I was told. I have had fair luck so far, but can't seem to get the oil pump housing off this engine. I've loosened the oil pan, pulled the dipstick tube, and have gotten it about 1/2" away from the block. Can't seem to get it any further. It rotates a little. The engine is a 3AC-SCV. HELP, please? Thanks, Rod

[Petros]

The oil pick up tube is stopping you. It attaches to the bottom of the oil pump inside the pan. You have to remove the two 10mm nuts that hold the pick-up tube in place on the bottom of the oil pump housing. So you either have to remove the oil pan, or you can get access by just loosening the front half of the oil pan and flex it down far enough so you can remove the two pick-up nuts (getting it back on will be tricky if you do not remove the pan, but it can be done). Be careful to hold on to the nuts so they do not fall into the bottom of the pan.

Usually the oil pump holds up pretty well, but I have heard that because they replace their Japanese engines at such low miles some will not take care of them. I have had experience with a few imported engines, all have been good engines.

Good luck.

[keith]

Contrary to the FSM, it is not necessary to remove the oil pump to replace this seal. In fact, it is more difficult to get the new seal in without damaging it if you follow the FSM. The easy way is to hook the seal and pull it off of the crankshaft and then slip the new one on. Putting the oil pump on with the seal in place tends to curl the seal.

About JDM engines, as I have said here so many times, they have a lot of hours on them. Japanese traffic is so heavy, it can take hours to travel even a few miles. If an engine held up 80k miles over there, that is phenomenal, I couldn't get 40k out of one when I lived there.

[garyfish]

I agree with Keith -- I just finished a front-of-engine overhaul that included replacing the front main seal (crank seal), camshaft seal, water pump, timing belt/tensioner/spring, and installing a new rubber gasket for the upper timing cover, 2 new radiator hoses and 3 new belts.

The front main seal job was the easiest of 'em all -- I just used a couple small sharp screwdrivers to carefully pry out the old cracked seal around the perimeter, then pushed the new one in straight -- after moly-greasing the inner rubber seal and putting a small amount of slow-setting gasket sealer around the perimeter.

I barely referred to the FSM -- the info posted here on the forum was extremely helpful to me in accomplishing all of this work with a minimum of hassle and indecision.

[Neu]

I barely referred to the FSM -- the info posted here on the forum was extremely helpful to me in accomplishing all of this work with a minimum of hassle and indecision.

i like hearing that.

[SethM]

Jumping in here because it would appear that I could benefit from the wisdom accumulated associated with the repairs described in this thread. My situation:

Have a "new" to me 85 T4WD that has a major leak at the front seal. So..... have to change that and my questions are

1) tips, hints, tricks to the repair (Keith has already posted to me about the general steps involved and the unnecessary steps described in the FSM...)

2) other things I might want to do while doing (1). Supposedly, the previous owner recently changed the timing belt, new radiator, water pump, all belts.... My thought is to perhaps change the timing belt again since I'm in there doing this work and that way I will know for sure that it is a new belt and the date/mileage of the install.

Comments/advice appreciated,

[Petros]

take out the radiator to give you room to work, it comes out easy. Although the timing belt only costs about $20, I am cheap and if it looks like a new belt (no cracks, clean, etc.) I would reuse it. If it looks older or has crack or missing chunks of rubber from the teeth, I would replace it.

The most difficult part is to remove the front pulley, esp. if it has not be removed in a while. I find wrapping with a plastic mallot (after the bolt is removed) will usually work it free and you can wiggle it off by hand faster than using a puller. If it s really stuck than a puller is the only way.

Unlike most other cars, it is easy to get to the front seal fairly fast (about 20 min I guess fi your front pulley is not stuck on) if you have all the correct tools handy and know what sequence to remove the parts. So it is not that much trouble to change a belt later. Also since the water pump is easy to change anytime there is no reason to replace it until it needs one (if you do replace the water pump, buy a new one from NAPA or other quality supplier, the rebuilt ones are junk and not that much cheaper).

Good luck.

[SethM]

if you have all the correct tools handy and know what sequence to remove the parts. S

Good luck.

Hmmmm, that is an important IF stated above.... I'll check the FSM and see if it mentions the sequence (and tools).

Thanks!

[takza]

Leaking front oil seal means oiled t-belt? You need to put in a new one I'd say.

[SethM]

Agreed on the implications of oil on the t-belt. And, yes, there is oil on the belt. LOTS of it....

I looked at the specialized tools in the FSM appendix and see there is one for changing the front seal: has anybody actually used one of these (the specialized tool)? Or is the job accomplished with careful work with a screwdriver as someone suggested?

[splatterdog]

If you pry, be very carefull not to scratch the shaft or housing.

Alot of the time I'll drill and tap a small sheet metal screw into the seal face and then pull with a pliers or pry against the head. Again being very carefull. Don't push too hard while drilling or you can cause damage behind it or snap a bit off and drop it in the pan. I have also just spun self tapping sheet metal screws into them too, just until they get thru and the threads bite.

Make sure to lube the seal lip before install.

[keith]

OK, I wish I taken some pictures of my timing belt change (one of them anyway).

Tools needed

Breaker Bar and ratchet
8, 10, 12, 14, 17, and 19 mm sockets and wrenches
3, 6, 9, and 12" extensions, the wobble type come in handy.

Torque wrench, beam type is usually the most accurate.

A hook set available at most parts stores, for removing the seal

Timing light if you really think you need it. I have a little trick for that.

Steps

Remove the radiator
Loosen the front crank pulley by using appropriate socket on the breaker bar, wedging it against something and hitting the starter for just a microsecond. Check that it is loosened, repeat if necessary.
Remove all belts
Remove the valve cover and top half of the timing belt cover
Set the initial alignment for the engine. Crank the engine until the timing marks line up at TDC and the #1 cylinder is on the compression stroke. Verify by checking that both valves for #1 are closed and the caret (∇) on the head appears through the hole in the cam timing gear
Now remove the crank pulley.
Loosen the timing belt tensioner and remove the timing belt
Remove the crankshaft timing gear
Replace seal Use a hook to pull it out. Use silicone dielectric grease on the inside surface when putting back in
While your at it, you may want to replace the camshaft timing gear seal. For it, you have to remove the timing gear first, if you look along the cam, you will see a small square section that a 19mm wrench should fit on to keep the cam from turning while you loosen the bolt on the gear. I removed the rocker shaft before unbolting the cam bearings but it might be possible to remove the seal by just loosening the cam bearing bolts and lifting the cam slightly and replacing the seal. Be sure to torque the cam bolts in the right sequence when reassembling all this
Replace the timing belt. Align the cam gear (∇ in the hole) and the crank gear (dot on the gear with the ∇ on the block) verify crank position by temporarily positioning the lower timing belt cover and slipping the pulley on the crank. It should be at TDC.
Set the tension on the timing belt by letting the spring push the tensioner to the belt and tighten down.
Finish assembly, throw in a new valve cover gasket for good measure.

Just before putting the radiator back in, realign the engine to 5ºBTDC
Finish assembly

Before starting, pull the distributor cap and rotor. A vane on the distributor shaft should be aligned with the vertical metal line on the ignitor. If not, loosen the distributor and align it, then tighten down. Then spray some oil under the plate that the ignitor sits on. Also spray some up into the drain hole at the bottom of the distributor near the hold down bolt. This will lubricate the mechanical advance springs and weights. Put the rotor back on and give it a little twist. It should rotate in one direction a little and spring right back when released.

Put it back together and you should be ready to go.

Go to the FSM link just below the blue bar at the top of the screen to get torque specs, torque order and more info.

I'm sure I've forgotten something, but someone here will notice and fill you in for me. Some stuff you won't figure out until you do it.

[ARCHINSTL]

logbear did a writeup on the timing belt replacement back in 2005: http://www.tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtop ... iming+belt.
You might review it as well.

keith - would you mind copying your post and sticking it onto the above thread? I'd do it, but your name would not appear (credit where credit is due!).
Tom M.

[SethM]

Wow! Keith, thanks. (I was just asking about the special factory tools---mostly just wanted to know if anybody actually ever buys those things-- but your post is fantastic in terms of details)

[Highlander]

Seth- While you are in there, if you see coolant puddling and occasionally a srip running down the front of the block, there is an o-ring that seals the water pump suction housing to the block- its another 3 bolts after the water pump, and, IIRC,about $3 from the dealer- no one else (parts supplier wise) even knows this o-ring exists. every T4WD I own has or had a leak here- its just an annoyance to keep filling the rad and not know where its going. JMHO