Nuked New front crank seal. Why?

[joshua]

I’ve had this engine running for less than an hour. Crank seal and harmonic balancer are brand new. Seal got nuked, yes I lubed it with assembly lube. It was leaking oil pretty bad.

I’m going to get a new seal tomorrow, but trying to avoid the meaning of insanity and not do it the same way I originally did it. But I’m not sure what I need to change in my procedure.

Here is some pictures to tell some of the story, and maybe some of you detectives will be able to solve this case. Last picture is the orientation of the oil slinger I believe. Maybe it’s backwards or something.

Anyway thanks for reading and thinking about what the deal is.

 

[Speedrdr]

Any chance that the bearing was wrong size/thickness and the bearing heated up enough to ‘cook’ the seal? Not saying it’s what happened, but stranger things have happened.

Randy

 

[joshua]

Any chance that the bearing was wrong size/thickness and the bearing heated up enough to ‘cook’ the seal? Not saying it’s what happened, but stranger things have happened.

Randy

A main bearing? Or balancer?

 

[B RON CO]

Hi, some timing covers locate on the block with dowel pins. Some covers "float". If your block does not have dowel pins the balancer must be installed on the crank before the timing cover bolts are tightened. Not sure if this applies to you. Good luck

 

[Broncobowsher]

The way that seal looks, I am going with the no dowel pin timing cover installed incorrectly. Looks like the timing cover was installed without the balancer, sagged on the bolt holes and was tightened in that position. The balancer was installed and severely overloaded one side of the seal.

Installing the front cover, the balancer needs to be installed before tightening any of the bolts. The seal will center itself on the balancer. Then start snugging down the cover bolts.

There is a chance that the timing cover dowel pin isn't in the right spot, if there is one. Manufacturing tolerance, add in a line bore that shifts the crankshaft alignment to the dowel...
Delete the dowel and do it old school using the damper as the alignment tool.

 

[SevenT]

Hi, some timing covers locate on the block with dowel pins. Some covers "float". If your block does not have dowel pins the balancer must be installed on the crank before the timing cover bolts are tightened. Not sure if this applies to you. Good luck

Ditto.

 

[joshua]

Hi, some timing covers locate on the block with dowel pins. Some covers "float". If your block does not have dowel pins the balancer must be installed on the crank before the timing cover bolts are tightened. Not sure if this applies to you. Good luck

Its been 6 months since I 1st started it and probably 10 since installing the explorer set up. I think I do remember something odd about one of the pins. Ok I’ll tear it back down, because I know I did not use the balancer for an alignment tool.

Thanks guys! I’m betting that is it! I was going to pull the oil pan anyway for something un related so might as well do it all. I’ll report back.

 

[73azbronco]

like others, looks like the cover was not allowed to float to a center position, and yes, sometimes the alignment dowels are wrong.

Now, you don't have to fully install the damper to center the cover/seal. Just put cover on with gasket/sealant, tap the damper on , center and tighten the cover, remove damper.

 

[Speedrdr]

A main bearing? Or balancer?

I was thinking of the balancer bearing where it snuggles up to the front of the engine. It’s been too long since I’ve seen bearings (main) and how far away from the front seal they are.

Randy