Timing cover crankshaft seal

[GTsRFine]

On a 74 B - is it possible to remove the harmonic dampener (main pulley) without removing the steering rack?
Situation - engine in car, slight oil leak behind pulley.
2nd question - can this leak be tolerated for a while or does it need immediate attention?

Oh yeah - leak rate is about 0.5 qt in 500 miles.

 

[Guest]

the sreering rack is so easy to pull I'd do it, and any leak can be tolerated as long as you want to keep topping up the oil

 

[tony barnhill]

Steering rack will be easier to pull than everything else!

 

[GTsRFine]

I must be missing something Chuck.
Just looking at it... 4 bolts under the rack itself is easy, but the clamp at the steering UJoint is going to be a pain. Then there's reattachment.
If you only remove the 4 bolts at the bottom of the rack, the steering column will contact the motor mount after lifting the rack only a short distance. Will this distance be sufficient?
About the need to do the repair quickly or not... does the seal deteriorate after starting to leak?

 

[Tom Bedenbaugh]

If you just take the 4 mount bolts out of the rack it will move fowared rnough to get the pully off. One thing be sure to replace the pully(don't replace the crank bolt yet) before tightening the bolts on the timing cover, That way you will center the seal. Then remove the pully so you can get to the two bottom bolts. Also it's a good idea to skin the gasket with sealer.

 

[GTsRFine]

Well awright then !
Thanks

 

[MarkJ]

Hay Tom,
Any tricks for getting the bolt holding the front pully loose? My engine is out of the car (trans still attached). And what about the nut holding the flange on the back of the trans. I want to replace the front and rear seals on the engine and transmission before I put it back in the car.
Thanks,
Mark

 

[GTsRFine]

Put 2 flywheel bolts back in the end of the crank and use those as a lever point to hold the crank stationary while torqueing on the front pulley bolt. Works for me. An air impact wrench is handy also.
Can't help you with the tranny seals question.

 

[SilentUnicorn]

this might sound a little scary but it worked..

oil pan off
large chunk of brass between crank and block , to hold crank from spinning. i used a piece of square stock so as to distribute load.
3/4 breaker bar and proper socket
large pipe.

use this at your own risk

good luck

Mark

 

[iggy]

MarkJ:
There's also the 'rope trick'...
Remove a spark plug, feed rope into the cylinder. Reef on the nut. The rope will stop the crank from moving without damaging the cylinder.
Haven't done it on a B, but I have used it and it works.

 

[MarkJ]

Thanks guys.
I have read about the rope trick, but was always to scared to try it. Afraid that I would bend a valve or something. I have taken the oil pan off and held the crank from turning but I used a 2X4.
I think I'll try putting the flywheel bolts back in the back of the crank and wedging it with a crowbar.

 

[Tom Bedenbaugh]

The 2x4 is what I was going to tell you, but the crank bolt trick would be easier if the oil pan was on. As for the tranny. I have a piece on steel stock that I drilled two holes in to match up with the D/S mountong bolts. Once it spins around and hits the floor you can break it loose, or retorque it. I also use the same piece for the rearend. Even with them in the car it will work if you make it long enough to hit the bottom pan under the car. I use them for retorqueing. My Igersol Impact makes short work of removing them.

[ 08-13-2003: Message edited by: Tom Bedenbaugh ]</p>

 

[Guest]

I've heard of putting a breaker bar on it and cranking the engine. (maybe from JDW?)

 

[Tom Bedenbaugh]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>I've heard of putting a breaker bar on it and cranking the engine<hr></blockquote>
That was me, we have to do that to Alfa's, and Fiat's sometimes. Ive never had to do it to a British car because you can get an impact on them.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Tom Bedenbaugh:

That was me, we have to do that to Alfa's, and Fiat's sometimes. Ive never had to do it to a British car because you can get an impact on them.<hr></blockquote>

credit where credit is deserved

 

[MarkJ]

Thanks guys,
I'll let you know how it goes.