Front Camshaft Seal

[davidricardo86]

I am having trouble installing my front camshaft seals. The front seals are the circular round ones that go behind the cam gears.

Anyway, i have tried installing them the way the fsm says to by using a suitable tool like a socket with a rubber mallet. I also applied grease on the lips of the seal and the camshaft to provide lubrication. Last time i needed this done i believe my machinist installed it for me. They look almost like they must be pressed on. I dont have a machine or setup to do this. I have wrecked 3 seals and can not keep wasting my money like this. These seals are starting to really piss me off!!!

Please, if someone has a trick or method they used to get these seals onto the camshafts let me know!





Modified by davidricardo86 at 2:40 PM 10/11/2009

Modified by davidricardo86 at 2:40 PM 10/11/2009
Modified by davidricardo86 at 3:32 PM 10/11/2009

[slo325i]

I just got mine done. I actually loosened the two bolts (the 1st one closest to cam gear) on the bracket that holds the camshaft down. Not all the way loosened but just like half a turn. I lubed it with some heavy grease and popped it right in. Before i used to do it like this, I kept ruining the seal by having that stupid little spring pop out. I've been doing this w/o problems for years now.

[meminto]

Hi mate, sorry for the long few hours, only recently got home from work..

It is a good rule of thumb to lightly grind the seal area (on the head and the cam cap housing) to ensure a clean surface with just that little bit of micro roughness for the seal to bite into the seal area.

You can use some 1800 grit wet and dry sand paper (wet it up) as an alternative and carefully sand around this area to achieve the same result..

When I install them, I use some petroleum jelly or vasoline (or a petroleum based lube).

Spread a light smear of the lube around the inside of the cam seal, and the camshaft itself.

Spread a light smear around the edges of the cam seal as well.

Now the art in it is to slip the cam seal on an slight angle over the camshaft, it is hard to explain without a diagram (i see another video production coming up in the near future lol), but what the petroleum lube will do is help stop the seal lip being caught and roll back over the spring.

I find oil is not as good for this, for some reason it is not as effective, but I am unsure why, maybe its such a thin amount it just wipes away from the seal/cam area and it grips, but I don't have an explanation for it..

You can slightly undo the cam cap bolts (be careful doing this) so it is easier to press the seals in.

Now push the seals into the seal area on the head, until they just sit firmly an evenly in the first 2mm of the seal.

Find a piece of pipe about 6" in length that will fit over the end of the cam around 1-2mm smaller than the diameter of the cam seal, ensuring no jagged edges on the flat surface.

Place this over the cam, against the cam seal, and using a rubber mallet (or very carefully with a hammer) tap on the pipe stopping every two or three taps to inspect that the seal is pushing in evenly, you may need to tap on one side of the the pipe then the other or further towards the top then the bottom to get this right.

Once you get to the point where the seal wont move in any further, it should be relatively flush with the seal housing. Inspect that it is evenly placed around the housing seal, clean up the excess petroleum based lube and reapeat for the other camshaft.

Then your done, kick back with a cold beverage and admire your handiwork

AS a side note, this process works equally as well for the front main seal..

Hope it helps you out..

Cheers,

Matt

[rico05]

zerothread?id=412298

[davidricardo86]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the help. Im going to give those suggestions a try. I'll put gobs of grease on the seal and the shaft. That should keep it from getting caught and tearing. I'll pick up an exhaust piece like the one rico used in his write up too.

I bought similar Moog/Federal Mogul seals but noticed that our cam seal part numbers are alittle different. I'll take a pic of the seal and cam together.

How did you guys get around not hitting the dowel pin (for cam gear alignment)?

[float_6969]

I always put mine in before I completely tightened down the cam caps and have had no problems with them. I also use synthetic axle grease on all the oil seals.

[davidricardo86]

Damn it different part numbers! How could this be! No wonder it wasnt fitting over the camshaft. I found an old seal that i removed from the head and the old seal is a bigger diameter seal and fits perfectly in the cap. Damnit!!!!

On rico's thread, his part number is 224052, mine is 223420. Theyre definately not the same. I thought i asked for a cam seal from the 89 pulsar se but it wasnt correct.

[float_6969]

Just because they work at a parts store, doesn't mean they know how to read.

[Fleemer]

Just because they work at a parts store, doesn't mean they know how to read.

that and the computer/distributor is wrong.

I got parts labeled "Pulsar 1.8L" (from warehouse/distributor)

Was for the 1.6 ga16 :P

clutch, water pump, few other parts too i got where not for the ca18.

[rico05]

I worked the counter and even ran an Advance Auto, and even in that chain's system, the cam seal is listed wrong for the CA18. I had to pull my old seal and match it in the BCA National dealer part # catalog. Total pain as the one listed is way too small. Glad to help ya out on that one. Just sorry you saw it too late.

[davidricardo86]

I worked the counter and even ran an Advance Auto, and even in that chain's system, the cam seal is listed wrong for the CA18. I had to pull my old seal and match it in the BCA National dealer part # catalog. Total pain as the one listed is way too small. Glad to help ya out on that one. Just sorry you saw it too late.

Yeah the part number they have there is wrong. Its smaller and different color. I smashed 'em good trying to squeeze 'em on. I wanted to tell the associate about the problem but they probably wouldn't have cared anyways. I really doubt i was going to be the reason why they fixed that error. I could be wrong. I didnt feel like giving them the jdm ca18 spiel either so i just went home to install the new seals.

Problem is solved! Better late then never. Thanks guys for everything. That'll teach me to check part numbers twice!

[rico05]

Like I said, I spent a lot of my life behind a parts counter. With seals, the best idea is to always take one in and match the manufacturer's part numbers.