How hard to change the front seal?

[The Shape]

I need to put a new balancer on the car, and was thinking of changing the front seal out while I am at it since it leaks a bit. Just wondering how big of a pain that is? Can it even be changed without removing the timing cover??

 

[HISSIN50]

I need to put a new balancer on the car, and was thinking of changing the front seal out while I am at it since it leaks a bit. Just wondering how big of a pain that is? Can it even be changed without removing the timing cover??

hey Big J.
i have not done the seal, but will share what i sorta picked up when doing my balancer (and seriously contemplating the seal swap).

from what i have gathered, to do it in the car (TC still on the front of the motor) COULD turn poopy pretty fast. the cover seemed like it was kinda flimsy. the seal is pretty large (no seal driver i had would come close to fitting - nor any sockets. i think i would have had to use PVC pipe). i did not want to mess up the cover tryin to get the seal out.

on some SBF's, the seal actually comes out from the back of the TC cover, IIRC. i dont think that is likely with us, but just in case.....

anyhow, the seal is pretty heavy duty (for a seal) and the cover is lame, so i left well enough alone. i did not want to mangle the seal, to have to R/R the cover to get the seal situation fixed. so i left mine. it was a little vulcanized, but still had some suppleness. i figure if it cuts the balancer, i will use a sleeve on the balancer in the future or offset the new seal when the time comes.

here is what i would do: get a new seal anyhow. i got a kit of all the TC gaskets and seal for like 15 bucks; the seal alone can be had for cheaper. get in there and see how the seal feels/looks. you will have the seal if you feel like doing it, but can pass it up if not. always good to have the seal anyhow. you may look at it and say, 'Hissin is an idiot - this is cake.'

oh, you can do the dampner with everything in the car, BTW (i did not pull the rad or anything). i did have to make some shims to get the installer to work (SFI balancer)....and i highly recommend using a puller and installation kit. free to borrow and all that.

good luck.

 

[00 Red SS]

I replaced mine while doing my cam swap, it came in fel pros pack of timing cover gaskets. Might consider a cam swap while your in there too, its alot easier then you would think if the bolts dont snap coming out like mine did

 

[The Shape]

Thanks HISSIN I am with you that timing cover doesn't look as though it would be hard to damage. The seal leaking is actually the reason I was going to change the balancer. I don't have any vibrations are anything yet, but it is the original balancer and I figured it may be the cause of the seal leaking. However I can handle a small leak if fixing it means taking a chance of ruining something else. I know in the haynes manual it shows to use a hammer and chisel to pry the seal out. That seemed a bit extreme to me. And I appreciate the advice 00 Red SS I actually already have a new seal that I bought a couple of years ago when I changed my timing chain. I didn't realise it would come with the timing cover gasket set so I ended up with an extra. I am still speed density so changing my cam probably won't happen for quite a while.

 

[The Shape]

Ok I picked up a new balancer from auto zone on my lunch break. It is a dorman brand. Kinda worried about getting a balancer at autozone, but they were the only local place with one in stock, and since this is my daily driver/sole transportation I didn't have time to order one.

 

[85 Coupe 5.0]

It's friggin easy to change, i'm assuming that it's on the car in your sig, the '87. Don't worry about the Autozone balancer, we carry Dorman and they seem to make some decent quality stuff. Just pull your old balancer off, then get a seal removal tool, pry the old seal out, put the new one in and install your new balancer. It's easy.