Got a quick question guys. I'm about to install the crankshaft seal but I'm unsure which way does it go? I've put a pic below, which side faces out (pointing to the front of the car) A or B?
A has the white ring in the middle tapering inward, and the black part is filled with grey foam. B has a little flat lip on the white center ring and the black part is empty. I'm inclined to thing the A side faces outward, is this correct?

 

Its been awhile but I believe you are correct...that A is the outside. I believe mine had a slightly wider rim for the exterior of the seal facing outward? ....but double check.

 

“A” is the correct way to face outward. Remove the plastic inner ring first prior to installation. Throw the plastic ring away. It’s just there to keep the shape.

 

Really?? It doesn't feel like the inner ring wants to come out.

 

As long as you didn’t already install the seal in the front cover, the plastic ring will come out. If you already installed it and the cover is installed on the engine, pull the seal back out but you’ll most likely need to replace the seal because you’ll likely destroy the seal upon removal.

 

The inner ring is definitely only there to supports the lip of the seal before install, it is not part of the install. Remove the inner ring and install the seal with the "A" picture facing towards you. Once you remove the inner seal you will see that the "inside" or "backside" of the seal contains the spring that supplies pressure on the lip to create a seal. Be sure to install the seal flush to the crankcase and so that it is at a flush 90 degrees to the crankshaft.

 

I haven't installed this one yet, but a previous one I did install with the white ring still in place. That one ended up going in crooked and I couldn't get it flush. I ended up having to pull the timing chain cover off to get it out. I don't want to go through that again so I'm double checking everything to make sure I install it right.

 

Yes, lip seals are an interference fit and sometimes they can be difficult to install straight/flush, often best to use something (a socket or piece of plastic piping of the same diameter) to knock it in straight. Lubricating the outside circumference also helps ease the seal into place.

Bottom line is the "solid" side of the lip seal should face to the "outside"......the side that does not have to be sealed. And the side with the open cavity and circular spring goes to the "inside".......the side that you want to maintain a seal.




ABOVE: ..............This side to the outside, visible to the installer upon installation .............................


BELOW: This side to the "inside", the side usually not visible to the installer, and the side that contains fluid that needs to be sealed from leaking.

 

What is this circular spring you speak of? The seal I ordered has no such thing.

 

Not all lip seals have the inner spring, many modern standard lip seals are molded so the polymer material acts with a mild "spring" pressure on the sealing lip of the seal. Spring pressured lip seals are a slightly more sophisticated version used in critical services.

Don't worry that your seal may not be a spring pressure type, the example I showed above just happened to be of the spring pressure type.
if yours is the listed replacement type then it is fine as a standard lip seal.

Same rules apply, the "smooth side" to the outside, the "cavity side" to the inside.

 

If the timing cover is OFF then that would be the best time to replace the seal!!
Support the back of the timing cover and install the seal.

bob

 

The spring he is referring to is the one inside the lip seal. There are several variations with some having the felt and some being made of rubber. As long as you remove the protective plastic and seat the seal with the felt facing to the crankshaft pulley you’ll be okay. And don’t worry about the gap between the inside of the seal to the crankshaft. The actual pulley fills that in to completely seal it.

 

Got the seal installed, I used a crankshaft pulley loaner tool from auto zone and an ABS piping connector that was the same diameter as the seal to get it nice and flush.




Now I just need to install the crank pulley. I'm looking at the workshop manual and for the torque specs fro the crankshaft damper bolt it has two listing, one for "no locking ring" which list it as 80NM plus 80 degrees, and one for "with locking ring" at a surprisingly high 375NM. What is this locking ring? I think I have to kind without but I'd like to be sure.

 

I'm pretty sure they are referring to the "crankshaft collet" (item 12 in the diagram below) which you probably have.

And yes, the torque setting for the damper bolt is very high (375nm/276ftlb) I purchased a 50-250ft lb torque wrench from Harbor Freight specifically for this job
https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-t...nch-64064.html

It is recommended that you use a new damper bolt, (item #4 in the diagram below) which comes treated with blue locktite, and you should also inspect/replace the damper seal (item 11 in the diagram below) it is a very narrow "o" ring that fits inside the damper pulley.

 

I don't think I have item 12 in that diagram, but then again that crank pully in the diagram looks like it is for an NA engine, not a SC engine. Are things different for the SC cars?

 

You do have item 12 if it’s a s/c version. Check the crank pulley. It’s most likely stuck to it. The split

collet has stuck to the pulley the two times I’ve removed my

pulley and I have the s/c one as well.

 

I still don't think I've got this. It is not stuck to my pulley because I sent out the pulley to be refurbished, and I don't see anything like it in my pile of parts, nuts, and bolts.

 

Do you recall your pulley looking like the one in my pictures? If so I would suggest you buy the split collet so you can install it when you get your pulley back. That’s an essential piece to having the pulley seat on the shaft. I’m sure it wouldn’t be good not having it and hope it didn’t do any damage if it wasn’t installed prior to you removing it. May i ask where you’re getting your pulley refurbished and what did you look for to decide you wanted to refurbish it?

 

I've got the pulley back already. I had it refurbished at a place called damper doctor, it needed done because the rubber in it was cracked and chunks had come off. The pulley sits nice and snug on the crankshaft I can't see how there would even be room for a piece like this. Perhaps you are mistaken about them being on SC cars? Or perhaps it was only for certain model years? The workshop manual list torque specs for both with and without locking ring, so if that part is indeed the locking ring then that would confirm that some cars don't use them.

 

All X308's will have them. They keyed version was for older engines.

Is the bore of your crankshaft damper straight through, or is it tapered with the wide end towards where the bolt goes in? If it's straight through, it's most likely just so tight in there that you can't see the slot on it. If it's tapered, then the collet piece was lost somewhere along the way.

I'd knock the collet out if it's in there before reinstall, just to make sure everything goes together properly. New bolt too. Trust me, you don't want to roast your crankshaft from the pulley coming loose and spinning along... I did some damage to mine, but replaced everything (pulley, collet, bolt), built a crankshaft damper holding tool, and cranked the hell out of it, and it hasn't moved since. Some pictures of the damage from coming loose on a highway pull (and the correct seal orientation)