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Update: I'm slowly doing this front main seal job. Didn't even take off the timing cover yet! I did get the parts in and was waiting for the solid motor mounts before I tackled the front main seal. Here are the Z1 solid motor mounts. Driver side was easy whereas the passenger side was a bit of a fight. Ended up rounding the top nut so had to figure out how to take the whole motor mount assembly off and have a shop down the road remove the top motor mount nut. I've read many write ups and seen some videos of people doing the passenger side, most have some sort of stubby rachet up on the top nut and a breaker bar to brace the rachet perpendicular to it and break it loose. I ended up buying a set of S wrenches and offset "goose neck" wrenches which eventually stripped it. if anyone is doing this make sure your socket is fully seated before using any type of breaker bar. I think over the upcoming weekend I'll have the lower oil pan off and timing cover off. Then i'll install the lower half moon seal as well as the front main seal and re-RTV it up with nissan RTV. I did notice a leak on the timing cover right above the thermostat where oil was slowly seeping through over night.
Also if anyone does work regularly in their driveway/garage. I recommend going to Harbor Freight and grabbing a set of foamy pads (they are like square puzzle pieces of yoga mats) they really help with sliding in and out under the car and keeps things tidy as well as the added comfort of laying on your back.
That leak you mentioned could also be from the small cover on the timing cover. I had the same leak and had to replace the metal gasket
Could be, but my guess is that it isn't. I saw the leak coming down to the lowest "arm" on the timing cover at the 2 o'clock position in relation to the thermostat. I only noticed it right there so my guess is that its the timing cover itself. Before I cleaned off everything that whole area and the AC compressor was all grimed up.
Update: Got the timing cover off. Wasn't too hard to remove that. Spent a good bit of time cleaning off the old RTV on the back and front timing covers. Laid a beautiful bead of RTV ready to install and as I was installing, the cover would not go on! what a mess! RTV ended up smearing everywhere. I got most of the cover on but the 7 o'clock position (facing the cover from the front) would not sit properly! there was always a quarter inch gap that would not press in! I was super frustrated at this since I spent a good bit of time cleaning the surface. I took off the cover and let the RTV cure so I can remove it in a bit and try to mock it up without any RTV tomorrow. I thought i was hitting the chain tensioner and it wouldn't allow the surface of the cover to meet the back cover but i don't think that was the case. There is something thats not allowing me to install the cover on and have all the surfaces in contact. GRRRRR.... any tips would be appreciated as I clean up this fresh RTV and try a mock up to see what the deal is.
also that little half moon gasket that sits between lower oil pan and timing cover seems to be a bit taller than the old one which doesn't allow the holes to line up. Its the correct part number but i think it needs to be pressed down with a good bit of force to form. i tried throwing the old one on, and tried removing it alltogether and still doesn't meet up at the 7 oclock position
ok gave it a bit of time, just to cool my head and rethink for a bit. I went back out and mocked it up again but this time using some of the bolts to see if screwing the bolts in would pull the cover into place. And behold it does pull everything into place. I think if lower oil pan was off then it would be a lot easier to mount the cover. Anyways, I considered figuring that out a victory for the day so I pulled off the cover and tomorrow I will clean up the RTV once again and install the cover.
Mind you this madness started with a simple "oh there is some oil around my lower oil pan, lets reseal that", this simple thought turned into adding a oil pan spacer, chasing down a front main seal leak with tearing down the whole front and taking the timing cover off. Also while i was in there i did solid motor mounts which was a whole struggle in itself. Learning process though.
so with just the thought of resealing my lower oil pan, I've actually will have completed:
There's two locating pins on the cover. You need to set the bottom of the cover in place then tilt it up into place. You may have to use a little pressure to compress the rubber half moon seal to get the locating pins to go in their holes. Once you get it on, put two bolts in loosely to hold it, then do the bolts inside the lower pan first.
There's two locating pins on the cover. You need to set the bottom of the cover in place then tilt it up into place. You may have to use a little pressure to compress the rubber half moon seal to get the locating pins to go in their holes. Once you get it on, put two bolts in loosely to hold it, then do the bolts inside the lower pan first.
Yup, it was those guide pins that was giving me trouble with the new gasket on. I would struggle with one side to go in, then look at the other side and it needed a long ways to get in. I'll do multiple mock-ups today without the RTV to make sure I can do it without messing things up again. Thanks for your tips again.
Originally Posted by calvin.w
Good on you bro. That'll be a huge ease off your mind in the future!
Update: I feel like this is a little diary for this job. Today I spent a good chunk of time removing RTV on the timing cover and afterwards doing multiple mock-up installs without RTV. I felt confident I could install it head on. Lined up my gasket and RTV and was able to get a nice seal. I'm always hesitant doing this because I won't know if there is a leak until after putting everything back together and going for a drive. I made sure I RTV'd the heck out of everything, even the gasket and finally the front face of the half-moon. Ain't taking no chances! Called it a day after getting that and re-installing my lower oil pan. Hopefully I can button everything up this week and let the RTV cure for a few days before putting oil in.
Buttoned up quiet a bit this weekend. installed the radiator back on and was about to bleed the system when radiator started dripping. Now awaiting my new Koyorad radiator. the one leaking was a mishimoto I had for ~4 years.
Buttoned up quiet a bit this weekend. installed the radiator back on and was about to bleed the system when radiator started dripping. Now awaiting my new Koyorad radiator. the one leaking was a mishimoto I had for ~4 years.
Hold up, should I be worried about my Mishomoto radiator?
Hold up, should I be worried about my Mishomoto radiator?
No i think you are ok. I think my mishap was due to mishandling it when i removed it. The crack was somewhere in the fins i believe since I saw the fins a bit wet
05-21-2020, 03:21 PM
