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Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: flash041 on April 02, 2011, 04:34:10 PM

Title: 2.8 timing cover oil seal
Post by: flash041 on April 02, 2011, 04:34:10 PM
I am haveing problems with the timing cover oil seal. I rebuilt the engine and it leaked. I just finished taking off the front cover,and putting in new gaskets and seal and repair sleeve on the harmonic balancer, it leaks worse that it did before. Any ideas?
Title: Re: 2.8 timing cover oil seal
Post by: TIGGER on April 02, 2011, 09:45:10 PM
One thing that comes to mind, is the seal on the correct way?  Sometimes the direction makes a difference on how it seals.
Title: Re: 2.8 timing cover oil seal
Post by: flash041 on April 03, 2011, 04:11:35 PM
yes its on the correct way. I just put in a Third seal. I was very careful, lubed it up really well. put the balancer on really slow still leaks!
Title: Re: 2.8 timing cover oil seal
Post by: TIGGER on April 04, 2011, 12:17:57 AM
Well that is weird.  I had a leak on my 67 mustang coupe years ago.  I replaced the seal first and it still leaked.  I then noticed the groove in the balancer.  I got one of those sleeves and another new seal and my leak went away. 

I can't imagine there is an alignment issue with your timing cover as the bolts should align it properly.  My next question is are you getting the right seals probably a dumb question I know....  Do the seals have the little spring in them?  Did you buy the seal from the same place both times?  Maybe they had a batch that were out of tolerance? Just thinking out loud......  Maybe call the machine shop that did your work and pick their brain?
Title: Re: 2.8 timing cover oil seal
Post by: flash041 on April 04, 2011, 07:46:48 AM
yea its really furstrating.All three seals have been from  three different places, so I doubt thats the problem.Yesterday I got an extra one, just in case this one leaked.Ill ask around the next few days . I was thinkng mabe the high volume pump is putting to much oil in the system, but it should not.Oh well I got a little less that 8 weeks to figure it out before the Stampede.
Title: Re: 2.8 timing cover oil seal
Post by: TIGGER on April 04, 2011, 04:11:25 PM
I would give the machine shop that did some of your work a call and pick their brain.  Maybe they have a suggestion?
Title: Re: 2.8 timing cover oil seal
Post by: flash041 on April 04, 2011, 05:15:09 PM
thank you! I took it apart again. The seal is getting tore on the drivers side. The timing case is closer the the crank on the side, not centered in the timing cover seal hole.I dont see much if any room for adjustment ,as theire are two pins on the top and the bolts fit pretty tight.  I was thinking about loosing the bolts on the cover and try to tap on it to get it centered better.
Title: Re: 2.8 timing cover oil seal
Post by: lencost on April 04, 2011, 10:33:29 PM
Hi Flash!
I once changed my PCV valve with an aftermarket brand, and my front seal leaked ever since.
Title: Re: 2.8 timing cover oil seal
Post by: Srt on April 04, 2011, 11:51:11 PM
how does the sealing surface of the balancer look? 
Title: Re: 2.8 timing cover oil seal
Post by: flash041 on April 05, 2011, 06:46:38 AM
it did have a small grove and pits. I put on a repair sleeve.
Title: Re: 2.8 timing cover oil seal
Post by: flash041 on April 09, 2011, 06:16:31 PM
LEAK STOPPED! I got another timing cover from a local Pinto friend. I test fit it , it centered i n the hole. For extra measure I put the balancer through the seal before I installed the cover I then installed them together. One word of caution.As I went to install the fan I noticed the waterpump was bindingI took it off and found the center of the impeller was rubbibg on the raised protion of the cover. I took a diegrinder and burr and "softened" the edge, and it worked fine after that.I figure I must have a later model pump and eariler cover.The pump that came off the cover I just got had a thinner impeller.