Front crankshaft seal

[CharlieZ]

92 stock B3 automatic w/air

Can the front crankshaft seal be replaced without removing the oil pump housing?
Are all crankshaft nuts the same size. There was some discussion here earlier on nut size but I don't think there was ever a firm answer.
Does it take a special or fabricated wrench to remove it. Seems like not much room for socket and breaker bar.

Thanks

[festivalife]

92 stock B3 automatic w/air

Can the front crankshaft seal be replaced without removing the oil pump housing?
Are all crankshaft nuts the same size. There was some discussion here earlier on nut size but I don't think there was ever a firm answer.
Does it take a special or fabricated wrench to remove it. Seems like not much room for socket and breaker bar.

Thanks

You're right on not alot of room down there! The only thing that will fit for my '90 Festy is a combo wrench that has the wrench heads-both ends- angled away from the handle and then bent to a flat angle like it's handle.
My bolt is 21mm; a 13/16" fits closely too but the 21mm is a tighter fit.
As for removing the bolt I had to buy a 3" diameter (inside diameter) pipe to use in place of a breaker bar's longer handle. And there's an entry somewhere in here about deciding which way the engine turns and hooking up the wrench so when you just turn the engine over the ground and wrench loosens your crank bolt as the engine turns over. I'm about to use this method as I can't for the life of me turn that crank bolt. Good luck.

[ejp2fast]

since you have the automatic, here is what i recommend. take the 1/16" sheet metal cover plate off that exposes the bottom of the flywheel..(for manual transmissions, you can't do this as the plate is ONE piece, instead of the automatics upper and lower) then, you can put the end of a screw driver in between the flywheel and bell housing of the transmission and crank on the bolt. as far as the crank bolt, it would be A LOT easier to lower the passengers side of the engine via the engine mount by the camshaft sprocket... lower it a little bit so that you can get a straight bite on that crank bolt...

[Dave G]

since you have the automatic, here is what i recommend. take the 1/16" sheet metal cover plate off that exposes the bottom of the flywheel..(for manual transmissions, you can't do this as the plate is ONE piece, instead of the automatics upper and lower) then, you can put the end of a screw driver in between the flywheel and bell housing of the transmission and crank on the bolt. as far as the crank bolt, it would be A LOT easier to lower the passengers side of the engine via the engine mount by the camshaft sprocket... lower it a little bit so that you can get a straight bite on that crank bolt...

Everything ejp2fast said, plus do the camshaft seal too while you're in there.

[ejp2fast]

one other pointer, when you take the crankshaft and cam seal out, measure them and when you buy your new ones verify they are the same diameter...
i ordered my crankshaft seal, and it was the wrong diameter... checked it and on my 91 and the crankshaft seal was the same as the cam seal... so i just ordered the cam seal for the crankshaft seal area.

[FestYboy]

yes, those 2 are the same. if i were you, i'd order 4 seals, just in case.

[CharlieZ]

At the auto parts store I found that there is a different crankshaft seal used depending on the date of mfg. of the car. Either about $34. The crank seal is part of a gasket set that includes a couple other gaskets , one I recognized as an oil pump housing gasket.
If the oil pump housing doesn't have to be removed to replace the crank seal, I'll measure and buy another cam seal as ejp2fast and FestYboy suggest.

Lowering the front of the engine is a good idea.

I have to work outside - the weather is crappy here - I gotta wait to continue. Boo.