hey guys, im waiting on my waterpump gaskets and the opti/water pump drive seals. What is the best way to go about installing these? Ive heard of using a sharpi but what exactly does that entail?

 

I just recently finished this very project.
You need to have an "installation tool" for putting on the water pump to timing chain cover seal. Looking at the seal in the pic, you can see the angled lip of the inner black seal portion. That seal needs to be tapered IN towards the engine for it to seal the oil. That's how oil seals work, the pressure of the oil pushing against it keeps it tight against the shaft. Mistakes that some make is to just slide the seal on without a proper tool. What that will do is fold the lip outwards and create a certain oil leak.
I found myself the right sized magic marker cap. Find the one that has just a few raised ridges on it, not the kind with ridges all around.


For clearance purposes, you need to cut out the center portion of the cap, the part that actually clicks onto the marker. Then shave off the ridges with a knife and sand the cap smooth with wetordry.
I also had to dress down the inner part of the cap with a knife and rat tail file so it would fit on the pump shaft.


This is the cap on the pump shaft, it just fits snugly.


Put a light coating of oil on the "installation tool", and slide the seal on. Believe it or not, you'll be sliding the seal all the way up to the wide end of the tool and onto the shaft without damage.
The idea is to give the seal lip some momentary memory of being stretched slightly beyond the diameter of the shaft, then it will settle back down on the shaft and fit snug.


Then get a socket that's close to the outer diameter size of the seal, and tap it in. I removed the red paint that was on the very outer part of the seal since it was too tight of a fit with it.


There you go. I just got back from a 1,000 mile round trip, and she's dry as a bone.
And the opti seal is a piece of cake since the Fel Pro gasket set supplies that one identical to the factory type. No tool needed.
Also don't forget to replace the o-rings on the shaft and the water pump. And put a little grease on the splines of both the shaft and water pump. That's why the o-rings are there, to hold it in.

 

thanks for the pictures!! VERY helpful

 

for both of the O rings, do you just roll/slide them on or will i need a cone shapped tool to put them on correctly? also for the coupler for the water pump drives....i noticed one end has a circle indentation all the way around on the outside near one end of the coupler. Does the one end have to go on a certain way (i.e. the indentation is closer to the water pump or the engine block)?

 

Are both of your seals the same (I don't think it could be)? You should have an opti seal that's a solid type like the greenish colored original one. The original style doesn't need an install tool.
The groove on the pump coupler went towards the engine. Looking at it, the thing looks identical end to end, so it probably doesn't matter. But I put it back on the way it came off. Why it's there, I don't know.

 

well for the two O rings that go on the spline drives is what im talking about. i see them on there and they look like they are on there very tight and would need an installation tool, but like u said using some grease might work without having to use a tool. I figured at much that the groove on coupler didnt matter......just kinda weird its there.

 

Harbor freight sells a seal install tool kit for like 20 bucks. They work great I build quite a few gear boxes at work and this kit is a life saver every time!

 

I just rolled the o-rings on....carefully without hurting them. The old ones are stiff, new ones aren't so much. If you want to be cautious, wrap a layer of masking tape around the splines first.

 

Sticky for now
Thanks Camaro69, I wish I would have caught this thread sooner. If you want to make your own thread with more pictures (if you have them) or more explanation or anything shoot me a PM or toss it into the Member Tech Submission section!

 

Enginuity baby! Hahhaa,, I was able to use a socket, and keep both sides of the seal facing their respective ways.