944Play

Tomorrow is PartsHeaven run day, so I need some quick info.

While poking around under the hood looking for stuff I should replace, I found the source of an oil leak: the upper balance shaft end ring. It was completely loose; I could turn it with my fingers. It has about .5mm radial play and more than 1mm axial play!

The car has no other leaks that I know about.

Is there a quick-n-dirty way to plug this leak? I was thinking the right size o-ring would snap right in there like a rubber band.

Can the balance shaft cover and end ring be removed without disturbing the front seals?

Thanks in advance!

MHT

what do you mean by end ring? There is a seal, usually brown, behind the bal shaft pulley. These seals are not very hard to press in but should not be loose. The seals for upper and lower balance shafts are not the same as the shafts rotate in opposite directions. It is possible that someone put the wrong seal in, but that should be a hugh leak. If you can describe the end ring then maybe I can tell you whar's up.

944Play

I'm referring to the round rear plug... Haynes calls it an "end ring," Clark's Garage calls it a "rear housing plug," but it's nowhere to be found in the Parts and Tech book.

Again, this is the thing in the BACK of the shaft, just below the #3 intake runner....

I've edited the title appropriately.

Steve Lavigne

To remove the plug, you need to remove the balance shaft cover.

To remove the balance shaft cover, you need to remove the front balance shaft housing.

To remove the front balance shaft housing, you need to remove the rear belt cover.

To remove the rear belt cover, you need to remove the balance shaft sprockets and crankshaft sprockets.

To remove the crankshaft sprockets, you need to lock the crankshaft.

To lock the crankshaft, you need to remove the starter.

To remove the balance shaft and crankshaft sprockets, you also need to remove the cambelt and the balance belt.

To remove the timing and balance shaft belt, you need to remove the upper and lower front covers.

To remove the upper and lower front covers, you need to remove the a/c / alternator belt and the power steering belt.

To remove the alternator belt and the power steering belt, you need to loosen the belt tensioners.

To loosen the belt tensioners, you need to remove the engine undertrays.

To remove the engine undertrays, you need to get under the car.

To get under the car, you need to lift the car up.

Quick-n-dirty, right there.

OTOH, you could remove the balance shaft cover bolts and probably get the plug out, but it would be extremely difficult to get the balance shaft cover back on and sealed.

944Play

Thanks, Steve. Methinks I shall proceed with the rubber-band idea. Maybe I can get away without even removing the intake!

After perusing some email list archives, it sounds like high-temp RTV silicone is a viable option, too.

See you tomorrow, I suppose?

<img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

MHT

silicone is definately an option. If you clean the area with brakecleaner or equiv. then dry it completely you can coat the end of the housing with rtv and seal it. The surface must be absolutely clean or the rtv will not stick to it and oil will seep under the rtv and leak out.

944Play

UPDATE: Success!

The o-ring idea didn't work out. The cover overhangs back too far and the gap is too small to even fit a 1/16" o-ring.

I got some Permatex "Sensor Safe Ultra Black OEM Hi-Temp RTV Silicone" 598B, and some Brakleen.

First, I removed the dipstick tube and plugged the hole with a 1/4" drive socket extension. I did not remove the intake, but access would have been hugely improved had I done so. Working from underneath, I used some Gunk-type degreaser and rinsed it off well, then hit it with Brakleen. After letting it dry off, I smeared RTV into it with my fingers.

I drove the car about 100 miles on Thursday after letting it cure for about 20 hours, and about the same distance yesterday. I checked on it today, and it's still clean and OIL FREE! <img border="0" alt="[jumper]" title="" src="graemlins/jumper.gif" />

Looks like the PO had the same idea for the lower shaft. It's got some red silicone.