Re: P.O.S....

[Dave Lawson <dlawson@digitalglobe.com>]

Al,
I can relate to your frustration...

>
Second, the decision to hide the water pump (a high-mortality item, 
remember...) behind the timing belt is bad enough, BUT the decision 
to also bury it behind a cover plate is ludicrous.  To remove the 
cover plate, you have to pull the gear off the end of the cam!!  And 
the bolt on my cam gear (rated 80 lbs/ft.) is so tight that the timing 
belt won't hold it to remove the bolt!!  Reefing on the can gear bolt 
actually resulted in jumping teeth on the timing belt.  And of 
COURSE, when I took the water pump bolts loose to rotate it and 
loosen the timing belt (a Rube Goldberg nightmare if I've ever 
seen one), the front of the engine and my working area under the front 
end get a fresh baptism of water and antifreeze.  Lovely.
>

For the cam gear, I stick a big screwdriver in from the front and
leverage it off the side of the valve cover. It does loosen up.


>
Steadiric said they sometimes come out with a dental pick, but I 
tried this idea VERY carefully and looked at the replacement seal, 
and mine is going NOwhere.  The replacement has numerous ribs on the 
sides (I hear you snickering, but don't go there...) and is clearly 
designed to fit VERY snugly and not come out easily.  This is beyond 
stupid, this is just about enough to make me look for a match to 
throw in the gas tank!!  I will live with the drip, as at this point, 
no force on earth will make me remove that oil pump.  If it ever 
leaks so badly that I can't live with it, it will be my mechanic who 
does it, or I'll sell the damn car.
>

Front crank seal, that one sucks w/o the factory tool. When I did this
on my MC engine, I had the luxury of it being on an engine stand. But,
I went around the outside of the seal with a drift and bent the outer edge
in towards the crankshaft. THis will release the tension of the seal and
the gripping ribs. THen with a combo of detal picks, solder picks, center
punches, paperclips, forcips, lung needle nose pliers, long needle nose
visegrips, etc, we were able to coerce out the seal. If you choose to take
on this mission with my procedure, there is no turning back once you start
destroying the seal for removal. Also be very careful not to mar up the
aluminum housing the seal fits in.

Also note that the tranny main shaft seal is the same design, except
you are working around a 12 in shaft on this one, tons of fun....

BTDT, but I hope I don't have to go back THERE anytime soon...
-
Dave Lawson