Lew and everyone, thanks for the helpful info. I would just like to add some things.
To remove the crankshaft pulley nut I had a portable impact gun. It was $20 on sale from Harbor Freight. It plugs into the cigarette lighter. It takes about 5 seconds before it gives one blow. After about 6 blows the nut came off. Mine was rated for 150 ft lbs, but did the job well.
I rented a puller for the flywheel, but bolts did not fit as someone else reported. I threaded two 1 ft. long cable ties through the front of the pulley. It just took a little poking and they came out the back end. I then connected them to the yoke style puller, and clamped off the ends with Vise Grips. Since the area to work in was tight, I could just cinch up the cable ties as the pulley started moving to give more room. Once it was mostly off a flat pry bar from behind just popped it off.
The Nissan part # was a little different then the one Lew posted. Not sure why. Part #13510-50B10 for the seal for my 1993 XE.
I drilled a hole in a piece of 2 x 4 to make a tool to press the seal in even and flush. A thinner piece of wood would have been easier make as a tool.
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Hi guys,
The pics from the original sticky post are gone??? They were nice pics> in fact, I tried a different web browser but they still don't show...is it just me?
Also, I am feeling pretty chickened out to try this as the leak is pretty small still...like by the time my oil change is due I usually have only had to add half a quart of oil to top up to H.
Is it OK to wait until the leak gets bigger? Any harm? I don't get oil on belts yet.
Hi guys!
Started to do the front seal replacement today... a very greasy work...
The "tap-starter" trick is a must to remove the 27mm bolt the easy way
After removing all belts (the power steering is a bit@#% to remove!), the alternator (oil leaked and sprayed all over) and the crank pulley... finally found the cracked-toasted oil seal... removed it with the screwdriver and cleaned the groove, no scratches.
Two things:
Tomorrow i will be installing all back in with new seal and new belts also.
To remove all the fried-oil what can i use? normal engine degreaser with some tool to scrap the grease out?
What about alternator? it seems to have oil inside also... (and all outside too)
I need to replace the alternator pulley with another i have here since the old one is damaged, any easy way to remove the nut?
When installing the new oil seal back in can i tap on it with some wood and small hammer to get it in? or what is the best way to fit the new inside engine again? it has to go inside even right?
I don't know the "best" way to tap the seal back in, but a piece of wood with the appropriate size hole allowed it to be flush. I think Lew posted it should be flush. I am not sure if you can rent a special tool for installing the seal. I forgot to ask, so I made my own.
__________________
Truth alone triumphs, not untruth. :)
I don't know the "best" way to tap the seal back in, but a piece of wood with the appropriate size hole allowed it to be flush. I think Lew posted it should be flush. I am not sure if you can rent a special tool for installing the seal. I forgot to ask, so I made my own.
Terrific Information, thanks!! I recently purchasesd a 98 Sentra with 150K and an oil leak. I used some gasket maker call "the right stuff" on the oil pan. It's a little expensive, but good stuff. Needless to say, I still had an oil leak and stumbled on this site late yesterday afternoon. To make a long story short, I had a new seal installed in about 2 hours and that included another trip to get new belts.
Luckily, I'd just purchased a Harbor Freights $70 impact wrench for about $33. Sign up for their weekly newsletter and you get extra 10-20% off coupons in your email which will work on sale items. Getting the alternator belt off gave me the most trouble as I couldn't find the location to loosen the tension under all the grease (don't have a Haynes or Chilton for this vehicle yet), but it wasn't very hard to work it off using the old bicycle chain method mentioned earlier in this thread. I also couldn't find a 27mm socket on short notice and ended up using a 1 1/16 SAE socket which worked for me... The pulley had me worried, but it pulled off with a couple of jerks of my hands. Removed the old seal (carefully) with a screwdriver, and tapped in the new one with the back of a socket and a rubber mallet, working my way carefully around the rim of the seal in small increments. Put everything back together and no leaks, yet.
My favorite tools: an old bent screwdriver to sharpen as a scraper or use as a prybar; a very large screwdriver to use as a prybar; a large hammer, 20"breaker bar, and an extra long ratchet extension. Of course, these are on top of the proper wrenches and sockets.
Man am I glad I found this place and this thread. I am going to add this to my list for the weekend. I have a 99 Nissan Sentra GXE with around 113000 miles on in it and the front of the motor has oil all over. It is leaking on the ground. This should be a fun project. And while I am at it, the belts are going to be changed also.
For whoever was asking, according to the Service Manual I have the bolt that holds the crankshaft pulley on it is torqued to 97.7-112.1 Ft.lbs. I am going to try and get 100Ft.lbs on it and let that be it. It will be a beotch to get that much on it. The motor turns over so easy with just a 1/2 drive ratchet. This should be even more fun than changing the darn seal.
For whoever was asking, according to the Service Manual I have the bolt that holds the crankshaft pulley on it is torqued to 97.7-112.1 Ft.lbs. I am going to try and get 100Ft.lbs on it and let that be it. It will be a beotch to get that much on it. The motor turns over so easy with just a 1/2 drive ratchet. This should be even more fun than changing the darn seal.
Put the accessory belts on first. That will give you some tension. Also, I had success with a vise grips that has a chain attached. Mine is a cheaper copy of this one:
Is it a good idea to just spend about $100 and have Pep Boys do the Front Main Seal replacement? I figured it might be cheaper and save time, since I wouldn't have to spend money on a DECENT set of air tools and an air compressor. I know eventually I'm going to want the air tools, but just don't want to fork over the cash yet.
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