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Front crank bearing/seal question

Vince

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 31, 2015
Messages
75
Location
Puget Sound, WA
OK, so it looks like I have at least lost the front crank seal just from the amount of oil coming off the harmonic balancer.

But my question is this:
"Is loss of a front bearing common to this engine?"

My question/comments comes from recent events; I have had to repeatedly tighten the alternator to prevent squeal, but this is now something beyond simple belt stretch....

I admit I have yet to crack the service manual, and I hope a simple crank seal (are they simple?) is all I need, but the repeated tensioning has me worried that seals may not be my only problem.

Input please?

Domo Arigato,
Vince
 
Last edited:

GSTwithPSI

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Joined
Jan 1, 2012
Messages
3,460
Location
SoCal
The main seal on the front case is fairly easy to swap out. You'll need to remove the timing belt, however, which may not be easy depending on your comfort level with the car.

Regarding the accessory belt coming loose, it's probably a crappy belt tensioner. Use a paint marker and mark the position of the alternator on the tensioner. After operating the car, see if the mark has moved to verify whether your tensioner is slipping or not. I highly doubt crankshaft play is to blame for your belt issues. If that were the case, it would certainly be apparent by how the engine sounds during operation.

I have some pics of swappimg out the main seal toward the end of the page: click
 

CutlassJim

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Joined
Jul 17, 2006
Messages
1,698
Location
Manchester, NH
I like to put a longer bolt where it goes through the tensioner block into the alternator and put a jam nut on the other side to hold that sucker solid.
 

strokin4dr

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Joined
Aug 30, 2005
Messages
2,770
Location
Savannah, GA
If any of that oil is getting on the belts, they will get soft and could stretch overtime making it necessary to re-tension them.
 

GSTwithPSI

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Joined
Jan 1, 2012
Messages
3,460
Location
SoCal
Quoting CutlassJim:
I like to put a longer bolt where it goes through the tensioner block into the alternator and put a jam nut on the other side to hold that sucker solid.



+1

I do the exact same thing.
 

mitsuturbo

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Joined
Jun 2, 2008
Messages
3,544
Location
Near Seattle, Washington
Quoting CutlassJim:
I like to put a longer bolt where it goes through the tensioner block into the alternator and put a jam nut on the other side to hold that sucker solid.



I did this when my alt was in stock location as well. It's a good idea. The threads in the cast AL housing are pretty shitty, especially on rebuilt units.
 

Vince

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 31, 2015
Messages
75
Location
Puget Sound, WA
Thanks all,

Getting to the seal is no big deal except I have no garage. The car is parked in a storage unit, where I dont think they would like lots of oil on the clean concrete floor....
I've pulled the front end apart enough times to know how much I hate doing it, but can be pretty quick about it once I commit otherwise. Maybe I'll call about to a few shops for estimates....grrrrr...

The tensioner moving is not my first thought. It torques down pretty solid, and the amount of threads left on the adjuster is slowly going away. Probably just a bad belt.

Anyhow, thanks again
Vince
 

89Mirageman

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 5, 2006
Messages
2,502
Location
Stantonsburg, NC
Could also be cam seals, just running down behind the cover. Balance shafts still in, if not it could be where they plugged the front shaft on the case. Honestly though if the drive belts are oily you'll want to replace the timing belt no matter what the issue is.
 

idreamidrive

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 10, 2012
Messages
430
Location
Murray, KY
I will add that the oil pump sprocket nut could have backed out, I just had this happen to me last month. I changed out the gasket and put blue loctite on it to hopefully not have it happen again.
 
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