Replacing Both Front Seals Soon...

[Mazda_Power]

Like the title says, I am replacing the cam seal AND front main seal. Do I need to drop the oil pan for the front main seal? Do I need to pull out the camshaft to take out the cam seal? How do I go about doing so?

Aaron

[aithanmier]

not sure about the main front seal, but the cam seal is a piece of cake. you'll have to pull all the pulleys off, the upper and lower timing covers, then the distributer, pull out the battery while your at it. then you need to pull off the cam cover(valve cover), remove the cam retainer bracket (it's in the middle at the distributer end) and then remove the cam timing gear (14mm socket on the nut and a adjustable wrench on the hex head on cam). then loosen all the rocker arm bolts and slide the cam out of the distributer hole. you don't have to take it all the way out. pull out the cam seal, then put the new one in from the outside and use a very large socket to seat it in place, be careful to not drive it in too far, there isn't a ridge to stop it. reinstall the cam, then make sure your timing is lined up properly. gotta make sure the crank pulley marks line up, and then rotate the cam so that the cam pulley marks line up, install the new timing belt (if your cam seal has been leaking then you have oil on the belt and it should be replaced) pull the cap off of the distributer, make sure the rotor is lined up with the #1 cylinder and reinstall the distributer. (it's alot easier to put it back in before you reinstall the valve cover.)
i think that about sums up the front cam seal install. shouldn't take more than 40 min.

[Mazda_Power]

So the cam needs to be unbolted an pulled back?

[aithanmier]

yeah. there is a retaining bracket that holds it in and the rockers have to be loosened so that the pressure is off the cam, then it just slides out the distributer hole, just slide it out an inch or 2 so you can pull the old seal out and install the new one. you don't have to remove the cam completely.

[darkdan]

No need to remove oil pan.

You WILL need to drop the engine down.

Put a piece of wood and jack under the oil pan, undo the passanger side motor mount and let the engine drop a good inch or two.

Now you have enough room to remove the pulleys and seal.

Be sure to drive it in with a socket or pipe. Don't try to be a hero and use a screwdriver or something to tap it in. That's how I had to go back to the parts store. =)