The front crank shaft damper is on a key way and it should not matter if the engine moved when loosening or tightening the damper harmonic balancer. The camshaft will move in and out a little bit and this is normal.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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A rear main seal, or crankshaft seal as it is commonly referred to, is a big, round rubber seal between the engine and transmission. The rear seal fits snuggly around the rear of the crankshaft and keeps the engine oil from escaping.
The experienced Field Service Engineers at Lycoming indicate that a leaking crankshaft oil seal is frequently caused by a restricted breather or an oil-slinger clearance that is too tight. The leak might also be caused by a propeller defect which places an abnormal side load on the crankshaft oil seal.
Once a crankshaft seal has cracked, it cannot be repaired, it must be replaced.
Oil leaks are often the most common symptom a car owner will notice when the seal starts to fail. When the crankshaft seal dries out, breaks, or cracks, there is room for oil to leak out. Even a small leak is enough for oil to accumulate on the engine. The larger leaks can make the oil drop to the front of the engine.
You can purchase sealing solutions from your local automotive parts store and then reseal the crank seal on your own. The second option for repair is completely replacing the crank seal. You are also able to find a replacement crank seal at your automotive parts store.
A leaking two-stroke crank seal can result in a lean idle, a flat spot at low revs or an engine that will not rev out. In some cases, the motor will not idle at all.
If there is significant fluid loss, so much that it affects the transmission, the vehicle should not be driven. If the leak is small and you can`t make it to an appointment for a few days, it is okay to drive your vehicle as long as you keep the transmission fluid full.
In general, however, a crankshaft should be reconditioned any time the bearings show signs of abnormal or increased wear, high oil temperatures/pressures or when early signs of machine failure are noticed.
PTFE (Teflon) sealing lip offers excellent chemical resistance and temperature capability and low friction. Suitable for high-speed applications and when the reductions in under lip running temperature is required.
The most common seal types include the following: Balanced seals. Unbalanced seals. Pusher seals.
There are three main types of seals within the pinniped group, Phocidae, Otariidae and Odobenidae.
There are two crankshaft seals, one in the front and one in the back, which are known as the front main and rear main seals respectively. Since the crankshaft needs to be lubricated, there are seals on both ends of the crankshaft that keep the oil from escaping.
The most common modes of crankshaft failure are fatigue failure. During its operation, the crankshaft is always subjected to a cyclical load. Besides, the bending and shear load are also typical loads on the crankshaft.
A bad fork seal could leak oil onto your brake calipers, resulting in trouble decelerating and stopping the bike. That, plus poor shock absorption and an unbalanced ride makes a leaky fork seal dangerous to ride on.
An axle seal leaks more during highway driving, so the oil drops on the driveway may not always be present. As more fluid is leaked out, the transmission fluid level drops and the transmission will start slipping. If not caught in time, the transmission may even get permanently damaged.
Before you go and toss that damaged high-dollar crankshaft into the scrap heap, there are very viable repair techniques for these described scenarios. Of course, the simplest repair is to regrind the typical rod and main journal to a smaller diameter, thus cleaning up the damage.
Automotive seals generally stay soft for about 10 years and 100k miles. Once they begin to harden that`s when they can develop leaks.
Generally speaking, if the crank shows less than 0.001-inch runout, it`s probably fine. If the crank shows more than 0.001-inch runout, it needs to be either straightened or replaced.
Crankshaft Lubrication Splash is provided by the turbulent motion of the crankshaft, and oil level within the crankcase. Pressure lubrication is provided by an oil pump supplying lubricant to the holes and passages pre-drilled in the crankshaft axis and journals.
The cause for the abnormally high wear has occurred due to friction as the amount of lubricant was below the specified level and therefore did not reach the seal lip. Alternatively, insufficient lubrication can come from dry-wear conditions because the vehicle`s oil levels are low.
Oil leaks are the most common symptom of a problem with the crankshaft seal. If the crankshaft seal dries out, cracks, or breaks, it can cause an oil leak. Small leaks can cause oil to accumulate on the undersides of the engine, while larger ones may produce a drip of oil from the front of the engine.
It`s a good thing that this seal, also called the rear main seal, rarely leaks because it is a huge pain to change.
Crankshaft bearing noise is also caused by low oil pressure, which damages the bearing surfaces and could eventually damage the crankshaft itself. This type of noise is usually described as a rumbling or thumping sound deep in the engine when accelerating.
Under ideal conditions, they`d last indefinitely. However, they`re usually made of copper and lead compounds, which are subject to a variety of weaknesses. The most important factor is lubrication.
I was told by a Honda Dealer that the axle seals must be replaced in the front. I want to get a second opinion.
ANSWER : The axle seals are pressed into the transaxle case and their purpose is simply to keep the transmission fluid from leaking out of the transmission (and keep dirt and water out of the transmission, too, of course). There is an axle seal on the left and a seal on the right, so two altogether. The seals themselves are very inexpensive, typically costing anywhere from $5 to $25, depending on whether you buy them on Ebay or the dealer (genuine OEM dealer parts are recommended). Although the sealing surface on the seal is made of rubber, it would be unusual for these seals to have failed, that is leaked, on a 4 year old car with only 79,000 miles. It would be even more unusual, indeed statistically improbable, for BOTH (left and right) seals to have failed at the same time. So, your case presents as a bit of a mystery. Failure of seals of this type will evidence themselves as an external leak of transmission fluid and there will be clear, visible, unmistakable evidence of the leak, if they are leaking. What you could have done at the Honda dealer, once they alleged a seal failure, was told the Mechanic, "show me", "show me the leak". If they won’t, or can’t, show you externally visible evidence of a leak then, quite simply, you don’t have a leak. Sometimes, by the way, to deal with an unexpected question like, "show me", they’ll tell you they can’t "due to insurance regulations" preventing you from entering the shop. "Insurance regulations", translated into English, means that there’s no leak on your car.
A leak of this type, if it exists, is important though and has to be fixed so this should be resolved. You could go back to the dealer and simply ask them to show you the leak evidence, on your car, so that you can gain an understanding of exactly what is going on. If they do not indulge you immediately and show and explain everything to your satisfaction, you got your answer right there: that is not a professional shop out to help YOU and indeed you may not even have a leak. The point is to resolve this, you need to see the leak before you make a decision. YourMechanic can look at the vehicle and see if there is evidence of a leak. And, if you do have a leak, regarding the cost to install new seals, you might want to get a second opinion as well, again something YourMechanic can assist you with. As noted at the outset, the cost of these seals is frankly trivial. It is really the labor cost to get to those seals which is material. As you may know, YourMechanic dispatches mobile mechanics, who have the same (or better) certifications that the Mechanics in the shops have but almost none of the overhead. Consequently, for a seal replacement of this type, if it turns out that you need it, the savings might be substantial. As you explore your options, if you have further concerns or questions, by all means please feel free to recontact us.
