robinde

I noticed oil around the oil pan this week and don't know if its the oil pan gasket or the front crank seal. If it is the front seal, What is involved with getting it replaced.

SnowyATX

Take a look at the cam replacement instructions as www.ls1howto.com. It takes quite a bit of work to get in and get the crank pulley off to get at that seal.

gojo

GM has a tool for lining up the timing chain cover. If the cover is not lined up just right the seal will, over time, leak. Some builders can get it right without it. I like the ones who use the tool.

Greg_E

If you do replace the seal, leave the timing cover bolts loose, install the balancer, then tighten the timing cover bolts. That way the the seal will center itself on the balancer.

Edit: This method worked for me but is no longer the preferred method. Actually it never was but the Kent Moore timing cover alignment tool was very expensive.
You can use the method vettenuts describes in post #11 or just get the Saccity tool posted by SabreD in post #9 and make your life easier.

Bubbletop409

GOOD ADVICE, that procedure should be used when ever replacing a seal, where possible.

C5 KIDD

huh? are you sure about that? ive done a few cam swaps on C5's and dont remember anything like that?! just bolts that have to line up in the bolt holes!

biggest pain is getting the steering rack out of the car!

vettenuts

Why are you removing the cover, if only replacing the seal? The new seal will push in with your fingers, the old one will come out if you use a seal removal tool with the cover in place. I would get a new balancer though.

chazdel

I agree, I used my cordless screw driver and ran a small screw right in the old seal leaving the head out about 1/8" and used 6" small wonder bar (pry bar) and it came right out with ease. cheapest seal removal tool you can find. the screw was about 3/8" long. worked like a charm.

SaberD

I just plucked mine right out with a screw driver. I think the saccity align-it tool is the best way to go to get the front cover centered up.

Tttiger

I'm in the middle of doing this job.

I was replacing the seal because it was leaking. When I pressed the new seal I the cover, it didn't look centered. A quick measurement confirmed it.There is play in the cover mounting bolts so yes, it can be installed off center. It's not much, but it's enough to cause a seal to leak.

Whoever did the job last time, (before I got the car), just bolted the cover on and didn't center it! So now I have the cover off and will make sure it's centered properly when it goes back on! I'm either going to use a centering tool or use the new harmonic balancer to center the cover.

vettenuts

Not sure which way it is off, but using the LS1howto.com instructions will not center the seal correctly and eventually lead to leaks. It needs to be centered using the metal, not the seal. I have done it without the tool, but it is time consuming to get it correct.

k24556

A little dab of RTV gasket maker at the transition from timing cover to pan is probably a good idea too. Seen leaks there as well and sometimes hard to tell which seal went south on you until you get the HB out of there

At any rate, anything that involves R&R of that friggin' harmonic balancer requires more than beer to calm your irritations.

Greg_E

When this thread was started in 2006 Saccity didn't make that tool. Not even sure they were a vendor here in 2006. If I was doing the job now I would buy the tool.

Tttiger

Just finished the job! All went very well and....no leaks!

I went to ACE and got a 110mm bolt with 5 large washers. The bolt is about an inch longer than the stock crank bolt and gave more than enough thread bite to get the balancer pulled on. I added washers as needed until I could get the stock bolt for final tightening. $9

While at ACE I noticed a plumbing trim piece (shallow flange)

that fit the timing cover perfectly. And, it's inner diameter fit the crank perfectly! A $3.40 centering tool that worked like a charm! ACE item #4091914

ACE plumbing fitting that worked as a timing cover centering tool perfectly!



ACE bolt and washers next to OEM bolt for comparison. ACE bolt pulled the balancer on easily.

FullOutPwr

This saved me $30 bucks on the tools some vendors sell. Worked like a charm to align!

93Polo

The topic below also covers the install.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-balancer.html

Stock balancers are known to fail. I'd do an ATI Fluiddamper 10% under drive at the same time.

SAC City has a great set of alignment tools, I would also get one of the ls harmonic balancer tools.

sherman fuller

When I pull my harmonic balancer to place my crank seal will my harmonic balancer clear my rack and pinion steering

neutron82

no, you will have to either remove the rack or move it far enough over to the passenger side and out of the wheel well to give you clearance to pull the balancer

vegas.wr450@gmail.co

If the timing cover has never been removed (installed at factory) and I am just replacing the seal, do I need to center the timing cover ???? Balancer and seal was replaced a year ago by a shop and the seal is now leaking badly so going to do the job again myself.

Tttiger

If you are positive the cover was never touched....
I would think whoever did the last seal removed the cover as it's pretty hard to do without removing the cover.

It's not that much more to remove and re-center the cover so you know it's right.

Remove the hood to get decent access. The biggest pain is dealing with the steering rack.