[blackmaxima88]

well today, after reading the sticky on replacing the front oil seal, which was leaking on my 94 XE with the 1.6, I decided to take on the task. here's what I did:

(1) removed drive belts. power steering/water pump belt is a fun one.
(2) removed crank pulley nut and crank pulley.
(3) taped the tip of a small screwdriver, and pried the old seal out.
(4) sprayed some brake cleaner in the bore to clean out the old oil. wiped it dry.
(5) brushed some permatex hi-tack (said on the can, good for "oil seals") on the new oil seal
(6) placed it in tbe bore, took a socket (which I fear was a little too small) and gently tapped it until the seal was flush with the timing cover surface.

now I realize it's not good practice to start the engine without reinstalling the crank pulley and belts. particularly cos with no alternator or water pump, the little red charge indicator light stays on and the engine overheats before too long. but when I did so, oil was literally pouring from around the inside of the seal. what could I have done wrong? I've done it before in an 88 maxima with no problems. I think the socket I was using to press it in was too small cos it wasn't exactly the outer diameter of the seal. but I'm on my way to a store now to get a new seal, and something the diameter of the seal to press it in with, maybe a piece of exhaust pipe with the end taped? I really need to get this fixed and don't want the car sitting on a jack in front of my house, on the side of the street, all torn apart.....

thanks

Dan
----------------
1994 Nissan Sentra XE, 5-speed, 143,000 miles
1994 Nissan Sentra Limited Edition, automatic, 210,000 miles

 

[johnand]

Typically you want to go just a tad further then flush, so the seal doesn't ride the groove that the old seal wore in the shaft. Usually those oil seals leak if they are not in really straight.

 

[blackmaxima88]

thanks... I noticed that when I drove the seal in a little further (picked up a better sized socket) the leak slowed down a little. but I'm not reassembling the car until the leak stops altogether.

I'll keep ya posted.

Dan

 

[blackmaxima88]

I GIVE UP!!!!!! I don't know where everyone's getting these seals but they sure as hell aren't cheap. I just took off the first one that I installed, which leaked, cleaned out the bore and noticed some very minor scratching on the inside. I soaked the new one, the one I just blew $10 on, in fresh motor oil and GENTLY tapped it in with a socket that was just under the diameter of the seal. it seemed to go in easier, and it sat a little deeper inside, about 1/16" further. so with my hopes up, I start the engine, and lo and behold, oil is still pouring out. I don't know what's wrong here but I don't have the patience or the money to keep screwing with this thing. I assume that once you install one of those seals, that's the end of it, right? it can't be taken out and reseated? I did everything by the book, and by the sticky. but in my FSM, for the GA series engines, it shows that the timing cover has to come off to do this. but here, and in the haynes, I'm told that the cover can stay on. I don't know what to do anymore but I need to have this car fixed. I assume that since there's a small scratch on the inside of the bore, I need a timing cover, right?

Dan

 

[blackmaxima88]

I think I'm installing the seal wrong

I can't really make any sense out of the "oil seal installing direction" drawing in the FSM. and both of my old seals are mutilated beyond recognition. but like I said, oil still pours out, so there's a serious problem somewhere. I think maybe I have the seal on backwards. I was driving it in with the flat side out, facing the crank pulley, and the side that has the spring was facing in. I think the side that has the spring is sposed to face out. I haven't done this in a while. somebody please tell me I was doing it backwards???? I REALLY need to get this fixed.

Dan

 

[lshadoff]

You don't get a seal until the crank pulley is installed. The seal rests against the neck of the pulley.

Lew

 

[blackmaxima88]

ahh ok. well this morning I installed the pulley and the alternator belt, and ran the engine for about 10 minutes. then I took the crank pulley off and the oil leak slowed considerably. but I still have the feeling I have the seal installed backwards. I have the smooth flat side facing out, towards the pulley, and the side where you can see the spring - that's facing the timing cover. is this backwards?

 

[johnand]

ahh ok. well this morning I installed the pulley and the alternator belt, and ran the engine for about 10 minutes. then I took the crank pulley off and the oil leak slowed considerably. but I still have the feeling I have the seal installed backwards. I have the smooth flat side facing out, towards the pulley, and the side where you can see the spring - that's facing the timing cover. is this backwards?

Nope, that is the right direction :thumbup:

 

[lshadoff]

ahh ok. well this morning I installed the pulley and the alternator belt, and ran the engine for about 10 minutes. then I took the crank pulley off and the oil leak slowed considerably. but I still have the feeling I have the seal installed backwards. I have the smooth flat side facing out, towards the pulley, and the side where you can see the spring - that's facing the timing cover. is this backwards?

Was it leaking with the pulley on?

Lew

 

[blackmaxima88]

well nothing was dripping, but when I took the pulley off there was some oil in there that looked to be seeping out.

Dan

 

[lshadoff]

Clean up the area around the pulley and install it. Drive for a few days and see if it is leaking without removing the pulley. Every time you remove and replace the pulley you risk damaging the seal.

Lew

 

[blackmaxima88]

well I ran the engine for about 20 minutes or so with the alternator and water pump belts on. I took the pulley off once, and there wasn't any oil in there leaking. so I put everything back together.

I was doing okay until a new problem arose. I had gunked the engine cos there was about 1/4" of baked on grease around the oil pan and on the side of the motor. I had rinsed everything down and was running the engine when I noticed smoke coming from under the hood and smelled an electrical burning smell. I looked in, didn't see anything, and figuring it was some gunk burning off. well about 10 minutes later I kept smelling it and the smoke was worse, so I looked a little closer, and the inside of the alternator was glowing red and the wiring harness leading up to it was starting to burn. well everything's okay now, but I have a lot of white powder to clean up. I knew this alternator was on its way out cos of all the oil that had gotten in there from the leak. good thing it's still under warranty.

Dan