Bernie

Hey Folks,
Gotta few questions on my TB / WP job and was hopeful that some of you with experience at this job could help?

1) I pressed in the new bushings for the idler roller. I also purchased a new shoulder bolt. The fit seems pretty tight. Is this common or should the shoulder bolt be able to freely rotate in the bushings?

2) I pulled the oilpump to replace the o-ring. The outer ring gear slid out and I noticed that one side of the gear is chamfered. I didn't notice whether this chamfer goes to the inside of the pump (facing the front of the car) or towards the outside of the pump (facing the engine)?

3) The o-ring that I bought from one of the Big 3 for the oilpump is very much an o-ring. The one I removed from the oilpump is more flat and fills the channel. The new one does not. Is this common?

4) Having fun getting the new crank seal in. I was contemplating getting a piece of PVC pipe to match the seal size for driving it in. What have you guys done for this seal?

Thanx in advance for your help on this folks.

Bernie

WICruiser

Sorry I can only provide input on #1 - when I did this job mine was also snug. As long as the it will rotate it will be fine.

This is a guess but for #3 if the oring fits in the groove and the oring stands above the surface it is correct. The oring will compress when the oil pump is put in place and deform to the shape of the groove. There needs to be enough clearance in the groove for the oring to deform as it is compresses.

Sorry I couldn't be more help.

marton

Lots of people do this. I was lucky with mine, I could push it most of the way in with my thumbs and then drove it in the last couple of mm with a hammer and using a socket extension as the drift.; just worked around the seal gently tapping.

I found the 27mm socket was good for the cam seals and a 24 for the oil pump.

I was surprised that the oil pump inner gear was so free moving, it nearly fell out and only the woodruff key stopped it. I could not feel any axial wear in the shaft.

I do not believe the idler roller actually does much, mine had no sign of wear or even any sign that it had ever touched the belt.

Marton

Mike Frye

Hey Bernie,

I've read on several posts that people were concerned with the lack of 'free play' on the shoulder bolt/bushings. The consensus seems to be that if it moves it's fine. The movement only really has to handle expansion, it doesn't have to be loose enough to rotate freely like a bearing surface.

+1 on the crank seal. I didn't do that one when I did my TB/WP job, but I've read that several people have used the PVC technique with a rubber mallett successfully.

Don't know about the oil pump questions.

When the experts wake up you'll get better/more detailed answers.

BTW- what year? (probably doesn't affect these questions, just curious).

Bernie

Thanx for the replies fellas,

Its an 85S

Cheers
Bernie

Garth S

I always lube the pivot bolt and pack the space between the bushings with a hi-tack teflon grease.
Of several I have seen fail, the bolt is rusted and eroded on the bearing surfaces - and dry. Grease will keep the moisture out in addition to lubricating the parts.

dr bob

This is something that isn't included in most of the 'instructions' but is surely a great technique. I used a waterproof synthetic wheel bearing grease. Almost any stiff grease will do the job I'm sure.

On the pivot pin on my rebuilt water pump, the silver paint on the pin made the bushings seem too small. A wipe with a little Brake-Kleen scrubbed off the paint and the bushings fit perfectly. This was on the '89, with the pin in the pump rather than the shoulder bolt that some earleir cars have.

sharkmeister85

The chamfered side faces to the inside of the pump (facing the front of the car).
I used some PVC pipe and it worked fine (gotta get the right size of course!).
Glenn

Tom928

Bernie,

For the crank seal I made a installer from ABS plastic(the black stuff) with an end cap that has a hole drilled for the crank bolt. The ABS is just a bit larger than the seal so it will press the seal evenly in ALMOST flush with block. You will have to tap it flush but at least it gets it started evenly.

Good Luck

sharkmeister85

When I replaced the oil pump I found it easier to put it in until the o-ring made contact. Then, rather than trying to push or tap it into place (and risking having the o-ring hang up or pinch), I used the bolts to suck it in by tightening them in a nice even manner. Use lots of oil for lube.
Glenn

marton

I was worried about lining up the oil pump with the bolt holes. I put a couple of M8 studs in 2 of the holes then slid the pump in on these. When it got hard to push in then I put nuts on the studs and squeezed it in with them, then I replaced the studs with the correct bolts.

Marton

sharkmeister85

I don't recall having an issue with that. Maybe I just got lucky?
Glenn

Bernie

Great stuff guys, thanx.
I used antiseize to lubricate the shoulder bolt in the bushings.
The shoulder bolt would not slide through the bushings without being convinced with some taps from my hammer and the only way to spin the bolt inside the bushings is using a wrench on the end of it. I guess since this pivot is more or less locked due to the adjustment of the tensioner, it should be ok. I am worried about the tensioner arm being able to freely rotate back and forth and the changing conditions of the belt. I guess it will be a shortlived thing anyway as the plastic bushings will ultimately wear themselves in against the steel shoulder bolt.

Cheers
Bernie

dr bob

Cool, so long as the bushings don't spin in the arm. The bolt really should be able to turn in the bushings with not a lot of force. Did the bushongs fit over the bolt OK before you squeezed them onto the holes in the tensioner arm?

Mike Frye

Bernie,

+1 for what Bob said, I know it won't spin freely, but I think you should still be able turn it by hand, even if it's difficult. Especially if you lubed it. Did the bushing deform a bit on install?

What I did was just sand down the outside of the leading edge of both bushings so that I could get it to start evenly (like a long chamfer or slight taper), then pressed them in one at a time with my workmate. They slid in squarely that way and turned by hand.