pretty simple job, a bit cramped for non-regular diy'ers. depending on the tools you have available.
secure the vehicle on stands (or lift, if available)
remove the belts
remove the crank bolt (an impact gun works well here...)
remove the balancer, crank gear, and hub.
remove old oil seal.
since the housing is aluminum, i do not suggest banging the new seal in without lots of caution as to not damage anything. you may wish to size up the new seal with a socket*, or, use a piece of pvc pipe and washer(s) and use the crank bolt to seat the new seal.
*a regular seal driver will not work due to the snout of the crankshaft sticking out beyond the lip of the timing cover.
other than that it's pretty simple. i do suggest proper torque specs, though. the crank bolt is listed at 303ft lbs, and is suggested to be replaced with a new one. (might be torque to yield design, not sure)
no, it is bolted to the snout hub. undo the bolts that hold it to the hub, and then undo the crank bolt. the hub should slide off the crank snout with the crank bolt removed.
did you get a new crank bolt?? they're not supposed to be reused per bmw.
Bumping this because I think I'm going to have to do it soon -- this can really be done without ripping the timing case apart? I think this is where my oil leak is coming from.
I assume you have to remove the radiator to get enough clearance in there, right? How do you get the old seal out? How do you stop the crank from turning when you are trying to get the bolt off? Do you need one of the tools to hold it in place (or could you do it with the locking pin?).
I need to pinpoint my oil leak, but I think it could be my front crank seal. I saw some pictures somewhere else that looked exactly like I was experiencing and he solved it through replacing the front crank seal.
ok, this is twice...where are you guys getting the idea that the hub needs to be replaced?? i am not aware that this is a wear part, and subject to needing replacement on occasion. it is also not like a bearing that could be damaged upon removal, so i don't think that would be it.
please essplainz, as i are confuzzeded...:dunno:
there is no explanation as to why the hub was replaced in the thread...i checked...
the oil seal has a spring that holds tension to the hub. over time, and this is lots of time mind you, this pressure will cause a seal to wear into the hub creating a little groove.
this groove could allow oil to seep past even with a new seal.
there are 'fixes' for this on more common vehicle makes, like small block chevy and ford motors, that consists of a thin metal sleeve that gets pushed over the snout to create a freash surface for the seal to seal against.
there are (apparently) similar 'fix-its' for the rear main sel as well, but i do not know if there are any made for the bmw motors. (i did not bother to check, but i'm sure a quick google will reveal any possible repair kits out there)
most repairs for the oil seal do not require the replacement of the hub. only if it is grooved.
a regular seal puller should be sufficent to remove the old seal.
Just for reference, an average air wrench is not going to get that bolt off. Mine is rated at 300-something ft-lbs and it didn't stand a chance. You'd need a professional one.
What I did was I set up a breaker bar against the ground, and used the starter to crank the engine. It nearly lifted the car off the ground the first couple times, but it worked. Getting it back on is the tricky part, though. Might wanna just tighten it up as much as possible then bring it to a mechanic to torque it down.
Nope, no sarcasm. I never knew that pinhole was there. I thought the only way to lock the flywheel was to bolt one of those backets from the flywheel bolt to the bellhousing bolt.
Hmmm I guess that means to use that feature, there's a certain orientation the flywheel has to be bolted on by? I've never paid attention to that. :/
Well, I'll be changing the flywheel this weekend, so I'll get a second chance :rofl:
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