Oil Leak

[Inklover17]

Along with much needed new valve cover gaskets it looks as if I may have an oil leak up front by where the timing chain is located. What causes this and how do I fix it?

[68c10guy]

New timing cover gasket/cover. Run down to auto zone or local autoparts store and buy one, it involves some work but thats probably your problem. Maybe some pics of the problem area?

[HoupPhotography]

It can also be coming from the front of the oil pan, there is a seal there for the timing chain cover also. If you replace one, replace the other, remember, when you take the timing chain cover off, you need to remove the front 4 bolts on the oil pan or you'll jack up the timing chain cover and you'll never get that seal back in...correctly. More than likely, it's the crank seal on the front of the timing cover....

You really need 3 gaskets;
Timing chain cover gasket
New crank seal (needs to be pressed in)
Front oil pan gasket\seal (you may need to buy the entire oil pan gasket set)

[68c10guy]

^^^^
he's correct i left out the other gaskets. But yeah its a little labor intensive.

[Inklover17]

Doesn't sound to neat to me!! Maybe I'll take it to a mechanic!!

[68c10guy]

haha just make sure you have a reliable mechanic, i know some guys around here aren't too gentle with stuff.

[berencam]

Dont forget the $30 harmonic balancer puller you will need as well as a rubber mallet to get it back on.

[68c10guy]

i dont know about where you are located but here in kansas you can rent the tool from autozone and then they refund your money once you return the tool.

[berencam]

Originally Posted by 68c10guy

i dont know about where you are located but here in kansas you can rent the tool from autozone and then they refund your money once you return the tool.

mabee its cause i dont have a autozone where i am, just an oreillys. Wish i had one tho, would have saved myself 30 bucks hehe.

[68c10guy]

haha yeah they are pretty handy to have around. oreillys isnt all that bad either though.

[Ole Blue 68]

Originally Posted by berencam

mabee its cause i dont have a autozone where i am, just an oreillys. Wish i had one tho, would have saved myself 30 bucks hehe.

O'Reilly's charged you for the puller? Weird. I just borrowed a belt tool kit from them. I had to put a $50 deposit down but got it back when I returned it.

[stope4]

If the timing chain cover is leaking, it needs to come off to fix. As mentioned, there are other gaskets that should be replaced at the same time. You should also consider changing the timing chain, water pump and the harmonic balancer at the same time since it all gets removed when removing the timing chain cover.

by the way, Autozone, hammers and mallets are an absolute last option. Beating something with a hammer or mallet usually ends up with something broken.

[HoupPhotography]

If it's an old SBC then it doesn't have a crank bolt, a hammer and a soft piece of wood is the only way to get the harmonic balancer back on. Use a soft piece of wood so it gives when hammering.

EDIT: I mentioned earlier to remove the front 4 pan bolts, but did not mention to loosen all of the other pan bolts. It will make life much easier when reinstalling to timing cover gasket, it will also help for a proper seal.

[Longhorn321]

I did just the front crank seal on mine and I didn't have to remove the water pump. The balancer did have a groove worn in it tho so I used a repair sleeve. Seems to have fixed the oil leaking from the front.

[69heavychevy]

dont beat on the balancer, just go to autozone and rent a harmonic balancer installer. i believe the part number is 27144. worked great for me.

[HoupPhotography]

Originally Posted by 69heavychevy

dont beat on the balancer, just go to autozone and rent a harmonic balancer installer. i believe the part number is 27144. worked great for me.

Question - How does the installer work with no crank bolt?

[berencam]

Originally Posted by HoupPhotography

Question - How does the installer work with no crank bolt?

How does that work at all, seems like the only way you could do that is to have a bolt and washer cinch down the balancer. but seems you would turn the entire engine.

[stope4]

O.K. forgot about some older cranks not having a bolt hole. You are correct, if no bolt hole, then a hammer and a piece of wood maybe in order. But no serious hammering.

Still see the term BFH used way too freely and everytime I see it, I cringe a little. Newbies should not be introduced to the term. In most cases it never solves anything. Most times it ruins the part or causes way more damage than you expect.

[berencam]

Originally Posted by stope4

O.K. forgot about some older cranks not having a bolt hole. You are correct, if no bolt hole, then a hammer and a piece of wood maybe in order. But no serious hammering.

Still see the term BFH used way too freely and everytime I see it, I cringe a little. Newbies should not be introduced to the term. In most cases it never solves anything. Most times it ruins the part or causes way more damage than you expect.

hence the rubber mallet

[mtndewmaniac66]

I just so happen to have that puller tool, it also comes in handy for pulling the crank timing gear sprocket, as well as the steering wheel. Three tools in one!
I have noticed on occasion that when the front pan seal has been replaced, by lowering the oil pan, that the pan starts to leak soon afterwards. I personally will go the extra step and replace the oil pan gasket set as well. Yeah it makes more work by lifting up one, or both sides of the block, but it sure saves the headache of an oil leak later. Plus I get to see what is going on with my engine when I inspect the oil pan.

[HoupPhotography]

Originally Posted by stope4

O.K. forgot about some older cranks not having a bolt hole. You are correct, if no bolt hole, then a hammer and a piece of wood maybe in order. But no serious hammering.

Still see the term BFH used way too freely and everytime I see it, I cringe a little. Newbies should not be introduced to the term. In most cases it never solves anything. Most times it ruins the part or causes way more damage than you expect.

I agree 100%, I think this is one of the only applications.... I cringed also at the thought of using a hammer. I was hoping you had a cool trick you were keeping from us....

[69heavychevy]

im not good at explaining things but trust me it works, it comes with an adapter that serves as a crank bolt. you can probably beat it on quicker, im just the type of person that would rather us a tool that i know will do the job right than to trust myself with a rubber mallet and me "eyeing" something makeing sure its going in straight.

[tim21391]

i know the people at autozone so i borrow their tools all the time for free no deposits or nothing they are nice guys

[Longhorn321]

Originally Posted by stope4

O.K. forgot about some older cranks not having a bolt hole. You are correct, if no bolt hole, then a hammer and a piece of wood maybe in order. But no serious hammering.

Still see the term BFH used way too freely and everytime I see it, I cringe a little. Newbies should not be introduced to the term. In most cases it never solves anything. Most times it ruins the part or causes way more damage than you expect.

Educate me please. What holds the balancer on if there is no bolt? Is it just a press fit?

[stope4]

It's a pretty tight fit. That's why beating it on is not a good idea because you usually have to litterally "beat it on". At the same time, a large enough rubber mallet with a block of wood can do the trick. Just take your time and try to hit the balancer inside of the flexible rubber vibration damper material.

I don't think there's much possibilities of it flinging off without a bolt, unless your RPMs are way way beyond stock. I'd say above 7000 or 8000 rpm then there's a danger. Not sure why except that the difference between the forces of the spinning crankshaft vs the spinning harmonic balancer have to go above the frictional forces holding the balancer on. To make it more complicated, this force or a second force has to be applied in a way that causes the balancer to move forward along the crankshaft, hence, it kinda like spins off (but it can't spin because of the lock key). I'm sure there's a differential equation somewhere that could explain it, but we need a good mechanical engineer or mathemetician. Also, I'm guessing on the RPMs. Someone here may have actual experience with a flying harmonic balancer. I do know this, I'd rather not be around one getting flung though the hood, fendors or bounced off the ground. Could have serious consequences.