hey guys so I searched and didn't find anything pertaining to my problem specifically. First let me say yes I got the cam pulleys off, I just did oil pump water pump timing belt oil pan gaskets ECT on the front. Still leaking from the cam seals. Doh' how did I forget those. Went back in took the old ones out. Now installing oem seals from the dealership twice the plastic on the outside was shaved off by the head down to the bare metal side of the seal. This is going to get very costly very soon if I don't get any tips and trick from you vets. Any ideas? Currently I am oiling the seals sliding in as even as I can and gently using a flat punch with hammer going around in a circle to seat the seal. :confused:

 

You could take the cam caps off and install the seals on the cam while its lifted up then lay it in place and reinstall the caps. Or just try taking the outer caps off so mby the seal will push upward and slide over the heads edge. That would only force it into half a circle. I did mine with the cams out. Good luck.

 

are you suggesting splitting the head? Or does the front of the cam come off?

 

maybe theres a razor edge on the head casting. would anyone suggest against a gentle fine file of the outside edges?

 

No, take off valve covers, therea an aluminum "cap" holding the cam to the head where your pressing the seals into, it can be removed and make seal install smoother. Or yes, see if you cant file down the edge but be careful of metal dust

 

I thought I replaced one of mine once without removing the cam cap. Maybe I didn't...'twas quite some time ago.

Anywho, no dude. You don't have to split the head(from the block I presume). You remove the valve cover(s) and then remove the camshaft bearing cap(s). The endmost one(s). So you can install the seal(s) from the top, into the bottom half of their housing(s). Then bolt the caps back on top of them.

EDIT: He beat me to it.

 

oh bummer, i hate taking that plenum off....

 

Do it till you LIKE it!!

 

I used a piece of white PVC pipe from the hardware store roughly the same diameter as the seals, cut it to a reasonable length (making sure to keep the cut as square as possible), then a cap on the end, and used a small rubber mallet to lightly and gently tap it into place. So far (after roughly 8,000 miles) my 3.4 hasn't started leaking.

When I did the same thing to my Subaru, I wasn't as lucky, at least one of the cam seals started leaking right away. I picked up a seal tool kit from amazon for $100 (expensive, yes, but if it does the job right and prevents me from having to do it again, its worth it) that uses a series of machined adapters and spacers and the old cam/crank bolt to sort of "press" the new seal in, to try when I get tired of the burnt oil smell and actually take the time to tear back into the front of the engine.

Its the same idea as:
Of course oil/lube the new seal, at least the inside where the cam/crank spins, and I've heard of guys putting a dab of grease in the back side of the seal to keep it from deforming when installing, but I have never tried it and have no idea if it does anything or no.

 

thanks for all the tips guys. I'm about to start this today. Gonna take the mani off and try that way.

 

what is the part number for these cam cap seals?

 

Victoria part #B45855 had to order mine yesterday. Should be picking them up later today. Hopefully this fixes my leak... jejeje

 

90311-42027

The manual says that installation of the seals is done with the bearing caps on and torqued. http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b...68cylinder.pdf (p. EG-279)

 

Thanks, Do you recommend changing the plug? or just getting the seal?