Front Engine Cover Gasket

[warlock40]

Just wondering if anyone has ever had to do this.

I took my van in to have it looked at recently because it was doing the tell tail overheating, low coolant, fluxuating temp gauge you name it.

I 've been told its the front engine cover gasket.

This is the gasket I guess that runs along the side with the main crank pulley etc.

Looking for some advice. Should I attempt this myself or is it too much of a pain to do without removing or moving the engine.

Any experience would be appreciated.

Thanks

[warlock40]

Perhaps its better known as the timing chain cover gasket.

I've read through the haynes manual and autozone's guide.

I have a few questions that I hope someone could guide me on before starting this project.

It recommends lowering the right side sub chassis a max of 5 inches. How do support the engine and it recommends replacing the bolts it this standard?

Also I was told by a friend that that something may have to be done to the harmonic balancer? anyone know what I should look for. I know it cautions you to ensure that you don't shift the inertia weights

And lastly since this gasket has gone is there anything else I should look for that may have been damaged by the leaking coolant?

Thanks

[cdru]

I think someone told you wrong. AFAIK, there are no coolant passages in the timing chain cover. I've never heard of any issues with that cover causing cooling problems. Are you sure they weren't talking about the lower intake manifold gasket?

Any time you loosen or remove the subframe bolts the bolts should be replaced. They are TTY bolts and are meant to stretch. Each time you use them, the stretching becomes less and less elastic.

[warlock40]

Its the entire front cover.. my mistake.. not just the timing belt cover. Are you sure... I've been told this gasket is leaking and its letting coolant leak down at it comes out the back. I've checked and the garage has checked its not the lower or upper intake.. not yet anyways.. nor is it a head gasket. Everything is acceptable although we are watching an area at the lower intake.. which no doubt will cause me trouble later

Looking at this job... wow.. It actually recommends removing the oil pan to get a good seal.. I can't believe this would be needed.

Here is a pic from autozone.com of the gasket and my issue.. I'm not an expert in this area.. as a matter of fact this is a new venue doing this kind of work.. I'm going to give it my best though... I've got nothing really to loose but if someone could confirm by looking at this picture.. tell me they are giving me the right information..

[LMP]

Interesting...and unheard of. Indeed there seems to be coolant passages there, but I think this is the first time it is a suspect . www.avigex.ca/xport/waterpump99.gif Keep us updated on this issue. BUt...is the heater working normally, that is, delivering constant warm air when asked for? Were there traces of coolant in oil or foamy sludge on the inside of the oil fil cap?

[warlock40]

No the heater is up and down on pumping out heat.

No I did suspect that it may have something to do with the water pump. I did have the pump replaced about3 months prior.

I'm going to start work on this tomorrow. I've contemplated pulling out the water pump first to take a look.

But if you look around the engine.. you'll see no collant anywhere near the water pump on the exterior it is coming out near a bolt along the (how to describe this.....) It would be the front of motor if your looking at the serpentine belt its near the bottom on the left side. I can't think off hand what exactly its being connected but I think it has to do with the lower engine block and the crank housing something around there its leaking out of.

I am planning on starting this project tomorrow. It looks like a pain in the rear.. to be honest I'd have prefered it to be the lower intake.. I think that job may have been less problematic.

I'm not sure exactly what I'm doing around the balancer and I am afraid to mess something up pulling the crank pully off. I've got a balance crank remover tool but I'm not sure exactly what this does or what I'm looking at. I've never had to deal with this type of problem with a car before.

On the other hand I did find a few instances on the internet of similar problems but there are very few.

I pick up the $12 gasket set tomorrow.. let the swearing begin!


oh and no there is not oil in the coolant that I have seen. Its crystal clean as is the oil (no coolant in there) so at this point I am considering myself a tad lucky in that respect (knock on wood)

[LMP]

I have pulled the harmonic balanacer last spring on my 3.8: a bit tedious but there is no problem installing it back in the right place : there is a key and you can push it back in place easily at first on the easy section, then cranking the bolt drives it back to it belongs. The real hard part was unlocking the bolt (normal direction, but at beginning I could beleive it was reverse thread): I had to expense all the ressources, going through 1/2 drive electric impact, then air impact, then 3/4 drive electric, still to no avail..and finally got it with 3/4 drive pneumatic impact.
If you can trace and shapshot some telltale clues related to the actual problem, would be nice for future reference.
p.s.: is the crank position sensor hidden by the balancer on this one too?
....being there, I think I would not risk having to go back there when it fails, a common event, may be a statistically remote possibility for your 99, more probable after 10 or 12 years, but I think I would choose to keep the old one as a spare right now rather than going there again a short time down the line...

[warlock40]

I'm going to grab some pictures today before I get going.

I'm just heading out to get a few things then I'm going to get to work on it.

The sensor is hidden by the balancer.

I was worried about getting that crank pulley bolt off too.
I've heard filthy things about it.

I'm going to try and get the pulley off without lowering the right sub but its going to be very unlikely.

I'll document as I go today. Cheers.

[warlock40]

Here is what I was dealing with.

You can see in the middle where the coolant had been leaking out of the front cover.

I've gotten past the hard part (in my mind anyways) and got that crank pulley off... man what a pain.. I hadn't though that it would actually continue to spin.. so I had to improvise.. after that it was smooth sailing getting the pulley off (used a balance pulley removal tool)

I only managed to get a few hours in on it today I hope to start fresh in the AM and get the remainder done.

I guess I will have to get some sealant for the bottom cover area and oil pan area.. and recommendations?

[LMP]

Great: that is the way all can benifit from the pain of others!

[warlock40]

ok well a few more steps ahead.

I'm at the stage where I'm moving the steering pump and pulley.

I've been snagged a bit because I have the pump is loose but I cant get it moved out of the way.. it seems that one of the hard lines is keeping me from pulling it up all the way. I've removed a bracket from below so now it moves freely but it still is wedged in.

I suppose I'm being gentile but I thought I'd come down and peruse the forum to see if anyone else had a similar issue.

Any ideas? would be great.. If it continues to protest I'll be back.
I'm trying to do it without disassembling the lines.

[warlock40]

I figured out what is blocking its removal.

It is some screw/bolt thing that is on the end of the fuel rail. Still haven't gotten it out but I'd moved on temporarily

[cdru]

Originally Posted by warlock40

I figured out what is blocking its removal.

It is some screw/bolt thing that is on the end of the fuel rail. Still haven't gotten it out but I'd moved on temporarily

The schrader valve (like a bicycle tire?) That shouldn't be holding anything on. There is a bracket that goes sideways from the PS pump bracket to the upper intake. It looks like a steel rod with flattened ends. It should come out. If I remember though it was a PITA to see the one bolt because it was hidden under things.

[warlock40]

No its not holding anything on but it is blocking the assembly/pulley from being lifted out. I've got the entire unit free but it can't get past that cap piece on the fuel rail.

I figure I'll just wait to slide it out of the way when I seperate the front engine cover later. Its not attached any longer.

I am fighting with the thermostate bypass pipe.. you know the one with the relief valve on the top. Its a PITA to get off. I got the bolt out but its not moving at all. I wish I knew what the unit looked like normally.

Next set is the starter and then I'm home free.. I think..lol

[warlock40]

Progress update.

I had a nap. lol (I'd be a lousy mechanic... always wanting a nap)



I managed to get down to the nitty gritty. I removed front cover
spent a lot of time cleaning off the existing gasket. (it was slow and boring)

I found exactly where my original gasket had failed. Left top side when looking at the picture above. I unbolted the last screw and the coolant that was trapped poured out. The gasket in this section was destroyed. There is a coolant passages through the front cover that go into the back of the motor. Sooo now I start the long trek at putting everything back together.

BTW I don't know why haynes says to remove the started. I didn't. I suppose if your going to do work on the actual timing setup then perhaps but not for this job.

Lets hope I didn't mess anything up. I'm about to go and review the torque settings to put the front cover back on with the new gasket.