Topic: Oil seal

[franky112665]

94 22re engine. I’ve got a leak which I think it’s the oil pump. You can see the oil flowing down to the bottom of the oil pump. My question is can I also change the front seal without pulling the motor?

[Gnarly4X]

94 22re engine. I’ve got a leak which I think it’s the oil pump. You can see the oil flowing down to the bottom of the oil pump. My question is can I also change the front seal without pulling the motor?

Yes, you can replace the front crank seal without pulling the engine, but you have to remove the radiator.

The source of the oil leak around that area can be deceiving.  Make sure you clean the area really good and then observe closely where exactly where its coming from.  If you replace the front seal, buy the best you can, preferably a Toyota.  You will need to check the wear on the harmonic balance/pulley for excessive groove where the seal rides.

Gnarls.

[arlindsay1992]

Front seal can be replaced without removing the radiator or even the fan. Just pull the belts, then from below remove the lower portion of the fan shroud (if you still have it) and harmonic balancer. Pop the old seal out, hammer the new one in with a short hammer. Just did it last month on my 88. My balancer even had the pulley on the front for power steering.

[franky112665 [OP]]

Thanks guys

[Gnarly4X]

Front seal can be replaced without removing the radiator or even the fan. Just pull the belts, then from below remove the lower portion of the fan shroud (if you still have it) and harmonic balancer. Pop the old seal out, hammer the new one in with a short hammer. Just did it last month on my 88. My balancer even had the pulley on the front for power steering.

You could probably remove the spark plugs with spanner wrench. 

Yep.... more than one way to gitter done.  I have removed the harmonic balancer on my 3 early pickups a 1/2 dozen times or so.  As I recall each time I removed the radiator.  On my current 1986 Xtracab 22RE, the fan blades are about 5/8" from the pulley.  Getting the pulley off with two fan blades blocking it would be a little too frustrating for me and more than I want to deal with. To get the fan off, I remove the radiator - more work, but I like having lots of space in an already tight spot and I don't want to bash my radiator core.  If am going to all the trouble of fixing a leak in that seal or the rubber gasket on the oil pump, I am going to remove the oil pump and install the seal and a new rubber seal for the oil to t-cover.  BUT.. to each his own.

Gnarls. 

[emsvitil]

Never needed to remove radiator (even before I put electric fan in).

Real easy from underneath.

The newer toyota seal is thinner than the original.    So you can position the lip in a different spot if your pulley has a groove in it.

[Gnarly4X]

Never needed to remove radiator (even before I put electric fan in).

Real easy from underneath.

The newer toyota seal is thinner than the original.    So you can position the lip in a different spot if your pulley has a groove in it.

The primary reason I remove the radiator is because I use my air impact tool to remove the pulley nut. I can remove it in 10 seconds and retorque it 30 seconds.

[Gnarly4X]

Real easy from underneath.

Yeah... "real easy"....  I read that type of comment often on these forums about repair and maintenance on our early Toys by DIYers.  I read a post where the guy states that he rebuilt his 22R in 2 hours, so I suppose anything is possible. 

So I guess is depends on what your definition is of "easy".

I've been working on automotive vehicles since I could turn a wrench.  My dad was an auto mechanic.  I don't have a lot of experience but I have enough to know that for me most of the maintenance on my vehicles is not easy.  In fact, I would not call very many repairs or maintenance activities "easy".  Changing the air filter on my 22R was easy - no tools required and took about 2 minutes.  Bending over an engine or crawling around under a chassis is not easy. 

Doing things "right" usually requires more time and more skill and more energy.  Laying on the concrete garage floor under the front end and removing the harmonic balancer and pulley to replace the crankshaft seal is not a difficult job, compared to dropping a tranny or replacing a head gasket.  In my early days as DIYer I tried those genius tricks to get that front pulley nut off.  They never worked for me, just like all those tricks to get the pilot bearing out of the end of the crankshaft.  Fortunately, I have a fairly well-equipped garage with tools.  For the average DIYer, even with adequate tools, working on a vehicle can be demanding physically.  Scrapes, cuts, and skinned knuckles is almost a certainty half the time.  Not to mention the grease, oils, fluids, and solvents.

I highly respect anyone who is an auto mechanic as a profession.

What is easy for me?...  opening the door to my truck jumping into the seat and starting the engine.

Gnarls.