I'm replacing the front seals and oil pan gaskets along with a new opti here soon. I've already got the WP and Opti off as well as the crank pulley. I'm getting the hub off tomorrow when I get a puller. I did not set things to TDC, I just marked the hub and pulley where they lined up with center line on timing cover/WP shaft etc. When I go to put them back on I'll just make sure these lines are matched, this method is fine isn't it...yea, I'm asking after the fact.

Also, I'll just be sliding the seals over a socket to get them to slide over the shafts when installing them on the WP drive shaft and opti shaft. Do I need to put some oil on them or can I just install them dry? I'll be using permatex ultra black to help seal the timing cover gasket and oil pan gaskets. I'll just need to put some on the rear of the oil pan gasket and the front where the cover and pan meet right? Or should there be a thin layer for the whole gasket?

Any other info would be fine. Thanks.

 

yes, but once you get the timing cover off you can set it at tdc. then when the front hub/balancer goes on the arrow goes up. yes, a light coating of oil, and yes rvt is needed in the corners where the pan and cover meet. i did some on the back in the same corners.

 

With the water pump seal, make sure the lip is tapered in not out, or it'll leak. Are both your water pump and opti seals the same?
When I did mine, the opti seal was the same style as the factory one (doesn't need an installation tool), only the water pump seal was different from the original.

 

I'm not quite sure on the seals, the kit comes in tomorrow so I haven't seen them first hand. I'm taking my time on this so I don't have a small mistake leading to a big problem. The tough part is going to be the oil pan gasket. I'm taking the bolts out letting it drop as far as it can while under the car without raising the engine. I've seen how people can snake the gasket onto the pan by either fishing it under the pump and pulling it out, or by slowly pulling it up the sides of the pan from the bottom. Hope this works. It's freezing outside now and suppose to be getting snow and such, idk how good I'll feel about laying in the garage all day working on this now haha

 

Even with that, I don't know that you'll have enough clearance to clear the gasket. I can't take credit for this next one, someone else here has already suggested to someone else. But you could cut the pan gasket on one of the sides (not front or rear), then snake it around and on. Be sure to add a dab of RTV at the joint. If I were doing it, I would cut it dead center through one of the holes, which will leave a tab around the bolt to keep it from trying to squirt out when buttoning the pan back up.

 

Yea I've seen a few threads mention that, it will probably be a last resort option. I got a lot of time though, so I'm sure I'll eventually be able to fish it on the pan one the the other ways mentioned before I resort to cutting it. Although, cutting might make it easier idk if I would risk it.

And this is probably a simple answered question, but how could or would I go about setting TDC when the cover is off?

 

A picture tells a thousand words, moving pictures are even better!

 

Thanks, I've never seen that on his site.

 

I really wished I would've taken pics earlier of the pulley and hub. I can do it tomorrow, but it looks like someone really beat the heck out of it. There are gouges and all sorts of marks on both of them. I took a big rubber mallet we have and tapped the pulley a few times to help remove it, but someone else literally cranked it hard quite a few times. I can't remember what the names are, but was told this could've damaged things with the crank and some other areas....care to let me know what parts could've been damaged and if I can tell while the cover is off?

 

it would take quite a blow to damage the crank while beating on the hub/pulley. the pulley and hub can be out of balance if its bent or damaged to bad. that would cause a vibration but should not effect the motors performance in the short term.