Steve in New Hampshire

Seems there is at least 3 or 4 of us dealing with timing belt and/or oil seal issues this week. I got under mine last night to survey the damage. There was half a quart of fresh Castol evenly spread. Gag. I've poked through my Haynes and the Maintenance pages and will start disassembly over the weekend. Since there's several of us dealing with this (and lacking a good tech article) I thought I'd open a topic to collect the 'collective timing belt and oil seal knowledge' in one place for those of us doing this for the first time! Maybe we can get Skip to do a proper tech article some day! After going through the books and the posts I had a few questions (others dealing with this please chime in with your questions!):

- anyone have a recommendation for a tool to lock up the flywheel after dropping the starter? I may not have someone available to jam a screwdriver in there.

- anyone recommend a particular pin spanner?

- What works best...the car up on ramps or jack stands? How far up? (wish I had a lift!)

- Have people found any other tools handy for replacing the seals?

- What else do I need to remove so I have room to do the seals? Haynes just says the serpentine and alternator belts! Hah!

dj90423

Steve,
I found a pin spanner at Harborfreight tools, but I live in S. CA. Had to buy a set (2) for about $10.00 - straight and angled.

Toolmaster

Hey Steve!

Let's see...

1) Get thee a flywheel lock. It's cheap (like 30-40 bucks) and works well.

2) Pin spanner - if you can't use the Porsche one, make one from a couple awls or punches, a large set of vicegrips and a large screwdriver.

3) I use jackstands cause I don't have ramps. I like about 18-24" of height so I can bang my head against the ground without hitting the car when I get upset.

4) Get a SMALL screwdriver to pry seals out with, a rubber mallet, a couple LARGE sockets to help push seals in evenly, and new hardware where possible - like the crank bolt. You'll also want a DEEP 24mm impact socket with a 1/2 inch rachet and LARGE breaker bar to break the crank bolt loose.

5) If you're doing just the seals, then the front timing covers come off, in addition to the crank pullys. Waterpump necessitates removing the rear timing cover too.

HTH!

If you have any more questions, I'll do my darndest to answer them!

Steve in New Hampshire

Thanks! Well I decided to get both the spanner and flywheel lock. I'm tired of trying to use halfast jury rigged tools! Actually my knuckles are the most tired.

Parts are odered. New belts too, there's no way I blew half a quart of Castol through without soaking them. sigh.

I'll be joining the tool club soon...for obvious reasons!

michael2e

yeah Steve count me in for the front seal repair team- gotta do them this week also. Haynes manual is good but I have the same questions as you. Is there any other way to lock up the flywheel without taking off the starter and buying a $40 lock( other than an impact set)? Where is this oil pump sleeve housing that should be replaced also? I've had oil leaking on those belts for some time now so I'm getting pretty nervous. Do the sprockets just slip back on once you get 'em off or do you need some tool to drive them back on symetrically? Thanks,

Mike

TheJonesBoy

I did the job a few weeks ago. Here is what I learned.

1) get the flywheel lock. If the flywheel bolt is REALLY tight, it makes life a lot easier.

2) Remove the fans (4-6 easy bolts), and if you like the radiator. It makes life easier. If you leave the radiator in, cover it in cardboard so you don't damage it when pulling the keys.

3) To pull the seals, cut a piece of sheet metal .25 in by 3 in. fold over about .25 in of the 3 inches. Hammer it into a curve, with the folded piece on the outside. Use a tiny screwdriver to pull the bent piece out about a 1/16th. You now have a homemade professional seal puller. Insert along the shaft, and pull out with plyers. Gets any seal out in seconds.

4) Buy a bottle of white out or white touch up paint. Mark the living daylights out of all timing marks and allignment marks on the balance shaft and timing belt sprockets. Also mark TDC on the top of the fly for easy refrence.

Steve in New Hampshire

Thanks Guys...

I remember taking part in some psych department study years back in college (they'd pay you $10 - $50 - beer money)...and in one they proved that the adage "Misery loves company" really should be "Misery loves miserable company"!!

Yea, I'll be keeping UPS in business this week! I did order the pin spanner and flywheel lock...I've taken crank bolts off of other cars! I'll start dissasembling through the week as stuff get's shipped in. I'll start with just removing the fans...but ooooh it DOES look tight down there. I did take a look under there over the weekend and it 'looks' like it's probably the front main which may mean the belts didn't get soaked. I'll pull the covers off tonight to verify. I'll try to get some digital pictures as I go...perhaps they could form the basis for a tech article?

Cheers,

Steve

adrial

I will have to do front engine seals and oil cooler seals (does this include the housing to engine block seal?)...Anyway, Do the belts have to come off to do the front engine seals? What about the oil cooler seals?

Not looking foward to this...so I will probably put it off a ways. It's not leaking tooo bad...

--Adrial

Steve in New Hampshire

Definite yes on the belts coming off to do the main seal!

Steve

Dave951M

Dittos on above

BUY the flywheel lock.

Remove the radiator fans.

Clean everthing you can while in there. Makes leaks easier to spot later.

Don't even think of using an impact wrench in there. An impact socket on the crank nut is as close to the mechanical Cujo as you want to get.

Make sure your seal kit has the short tubing that goes in the cam housing.

Be very careful with the camshaft bolt. It's a 12pt internal, see the camshaft thread on the 944Turbo forum.

Another word of advice from the darkside of belt changing--

Don't NEVER, EVER trust that the seal kit is correct <img src="graemlins/nono.gif" border="0" alt="[nono]" />

In two belt changings, I've seen it screwed up 2 for 2. It's a hard lick to have your baby up on jacks, thinking that everything is going along ok, then---- WRONG SEAL! Ask Hammbone. We got lucky doing his in that the local foreign parts supplier had the correct main seal (yes- main seal). Also note that the balance shaft seals are different and turn differently. Don't leave out the mylar washers behind the balance shaft sleeves, unless you really want to see a big leak. Also, get a spare radiator plug. That blue plastic one is extremely fragile. One last thing, since these cars are getting on in years, some now older than the owners, replace the balance shaft sleeves while you're in there.

Cheap, oops, less expensive spanner- long nosed angled needle nose pliers makes a great spanner and thermostat removal tool. One tool, two jobs.

Skeered yet??

scular

Just changed my seals and belts last night... To hold the shafts still I just placed the old belt around the pulley I wanted to remove then placed the other end over a stationary part, snug it up, and your good to go. The only problem I had was removing the crank pulley any suggestions for this coming weekend would be appreciated.

Dave951M

I used the old balance belt as a strap wrench to remove the sprockets. Then I hit on the idea of using my angled needle nose pliers as the spanner. For the crank nut-- get the flywheel lock-- end of story. Any other method is risking disaster and the lock is only $40 and you'll have it next time you do the job or use it as barter stuff. HTH

pete944

Wow, there must be something in the air! I just did my belts and waterpump this weekend. I also replaced all the hoses and clamps. I'm waiting on a new heater valve from Paragon which will arrive tomorrow and then I'll be done. I also used the old belt around the balance shaft sprockets and held it there with a very large pair of vise grips. Don't clamp down very tight, just enough to hold it steady so you can break the bolt loose. I also found an easy way to remove the thermostat...buy a new thermostat, new water pump and snap ring, assemble it on the workbench, and toss the old one in the trash. Much easier than fighting the old one. I didn't remove the fans (and I have the scarred, bloody knuckles to prove it) but it is possible to leave them in place. Next time, though, they are outta there. All in all it really isn't a hard job, just take your time and double check everything as you go. I had the car all back together and decided to check everything again tonight and it only took an hour and a half to open it all up, check clearances and tension and put it all back together. If anyone is agonizing over doing this job, just go for it. It's not that hard and it'll bring you and car a little closer together.

Steve in New Hampshire

Hmmmmm. "Make sure your seal kit has the short tubing that goes in the cam housing."

I ordered my seal kit from our friends at Paragon. Skip or Jason...does your kit have the "short tubing"? If not I'll see if I can source it at the local dealer...I'll be going there anyway to pick up a new Crank Bolt. The PET says our bolt is a 900 082 085 02 (M16x1.5x60 bolt). It also says a Boxster's is 900 082 085 09 with the same specs. Are they interchangeable???

-Steve

Jeff928S4

I have the head off right now...

Should I get the oil cooler seals done?

Can anyone who recently did "all the seals, gaskets and hoses" give me a list of what I should be replacing before putting the head back on.......please and thank you! I want to get as much done while the head is off.

944S Boyeee