Replace Front end seal

[mooky]

G'day,
I have recently discovered a pretty servere oil leak from the front end seal around the crank in a U12 pintara.
I was wondering if it is possible to replace it working through the wheel arch?
Has anyone done this? Any hints to make the job a little easier?
Cheers.

[ffourc]

read the fsm -

if you've a ka - you're lucky

but a ca - take off the timing belt, remove the oil pan, oil pump , do seal put it ALL back together!

[mooky]

It's a CA unfortunately.
I've read the fsm and it assumes the engine is out of the car.
I was wondering if there is enough room to change the seal through the wheel arch.

[Jono]

There is, but you may need to lift up the engine a bit and remove the crossmember.

[mooky]

Thanks Jono!
Have you done it before?
How hard is it?
Am I better off hoisting the engine out of the car?
Cheers

[Jono]

I have replaced the timing belt and water pump on my car but that was on a 2-post car hoist with the front (pulley side) of the engine lifted up a bit. I haven't done anything with the front main seal on a U12.

[ffourc]

anyone done this yet? or had it done?
 I need to because oil is getting on my timing belt(not good) ca20

I hope to do this with engine in car

ka24 people can also answer this qu. re: removing sump (yes I have to)

i presume I need to take off extractors/ crossmember? yes?

will I need to support engine (eg at gearbox) if/when  I remove crossmember?

what a pita for a $6 seal

[eurisko]

Ive done a headgasket, and did the timing belt and water pump while i was at it.

There is a tech article here, and i did it with just stands.... i think... maybe not even that. 

http://www.antrx.com/tech/article.php?t=11976&a=

[ffourc]

Ive done a headgasket, and did the timing belt and water pump

that's the top end - not the bottom - but at least you replied thanks!

DO NOT DO THIS JOB UNLESS YOU MUST!!!! if i'd known what a pain it'd be, I'd've wacked some sealant around the oil pump seal & seen if that'd be enough.

answer - is yes to all 3

 support gearbox-yes   then, crossmember off - yes*  then, exhaust off - yes

* just undo the bolts thru the centre of the mounts (ie rubber bit) front & rear(manual) & then unbolt & drop the crossmember. easy

tips: disconnect the oil pick up tube from the oil pump b4 removing the pump

;I used a flexible extension ( like a long spring) to get at (easily) the 2 oil pan bolts at gearbox end.

;to pull(/lever) the front oil seal - I made a tool as shown in fsm - heat(red hot) the tip of a cheap flat ended screwdriver & then bend it (~5mm) I used a vice . Maybe? could've just used a normal screwdriver, but the improvised tool worked a treat.

if you don't heat, it'll break

THE BIGGEST PAIN - was the oil pan gasket & trying to put it on upside down & you need sealant at the 1/2 circle bits & it needs to be stretched several mm in spots ETC ETC ETC

tip - the green (6.5mm?) star anchors (for putting screws into bricks), are ideal to fit in bolt holes on gasket & oil pan to allow the gasket adhesive to set.

but if I had to do it again (3 days no oil leak yet - fingers crossed) I'd probalbly use bit's of the old gasket around the bolt holes as spacers & liquid gasket.

so a truly fucken horrible nightmare of a job for a cheao little pastic/rubber seal