problem # 2 front main seal blew (see pg2)

I have a stock ballancer in excellent shape. PM me.

anyone know if that balancer bolt is reverse thread? EDIT: never mind, they are normal thread.

and are the TTY bolts dealer only?

Glad you found the problem!

(BTW I've seen a lot of cars driving around with broken flexplates, they'll hold together for a long time broken)

I don't know of anyone who replaced the bolts... I'm sure it's recommended though, you should probably get them.

Mr.Riviera wrote:

it is the balancer! shattered all the way around the rubber/plastic. now i just hope i didnt do any internal damage.
thank you for all your help!

I had that happen once on a NA3800 Series I.
No internal damage on that engine.


Bert

ok i'm about ready for a new engine. the main seal just went and i lost every drop of oil in about 30 seconds.

how much trouble is it to replace a main seal? assuming that is what blew.

TTT help! i have a final exam tomorrow, and have to be out of my apartment by 10am thurs, and need to drive 200 miles home until the 8th when i can move into my new house.
why did it have to blow now???

These are notorious on Mitsubishi Eclipses. They get old and hardened and seperate.

Not sure where the front main seal comes into play.... Should be an easy fix.

crank pullies are also common on the 2JZ-GE motor, as in the supra.

Could have been caused by the blown balancer? Sorry to hear it.

Ed Morad usually has complete low milage motors

It's not terribly surprising if it's the front main seal you're talking about. With the balancer off, putting a new one in should be pretty easy.

i agree with turtle, those are very easy to do. once you have the harmonic balancer off you should be able to see it . remove the old seal and tap in the new one. if you have a seal puller(you can get one from any part store or sears for about $15) that should do the trick. i used a thick block of wood, hammer, and sum grease to tab it back in. now mind you i have never done this with the timing cover on. removing the timing cover mkaes it very easy, plus you get a new timing cover gasket and front main seal too!

Getting the old one out is the harder part. Take your time..don't get overly frustrated and you'll be able to do it.

its all good now. got a new front seal in and drove it home. so far so good. seal cost me $18 at the dealer, and when i took off the balancer (brand new, not even a week old) the metal shaft cracked when i used the starter to break loose the bolt. i warrantied the balancer and got a new one. i spent about an hour actually working on the car, in the parking lot, with hand tool, in the rain. but it wasnt as difficult as i thought it was going to be. i figured w/my luck i would have to pull the timing chain cover, but i didnt.
i will say the new seals are a bitch to press in.
i hope this is my last fix for a while so i can start spending the money on modding again.
Matthew

Mr.Riviera wrote:

i spent about an hour actually working on the car, in the parking lot, with hand tool, in the rain.

HAHHAHAA!!! I can't stop laughing!!!! Sorry!!!!!

When I used to go to quick lube places they always said there was an oil leak but I never saw it. I asked them where it was coming from and they said it was from the rear main seal. My question is how hard is it to get to? And is it as easy to replace as the front main seal? The leak must be really small because I've never seen oil spots from under my car, or any dripping what so ever.

Oil can also leak from the pan, valve cover gaskets, or the engine could be burning a little when you drive.

You will have to remove the trans from the engine to get to the rear main seal. If it doesn't leave spots, I'd leave it alone. Valve cover gaskets are inexpensive and easy to do, oil pan gaskets require a little more work. (I believe you have to remove the timing cover)

"If it doesn't leave spots, I'd leave it alone." My attitude, exactly. I don't go to those quick lube places anymore, they're run by a bunch of retarded high school kids who want me to pay $60 for an air filter that's not even reusuable. I used to go to them because I had a friend that was the manager and he would go the extra mile for me. I hate it when these kids assume you're an idiot and rip off unsuspecting people.

Oil pan and valve cover gaskets on the 3.8 is a breeze. Just make sure that when you do the oil pan gasket to put a bead of new silicone/rtv around the new gasket if you don't it will leak. I found out the hard way.

96RIVMANN wrote:

Oil pan and valve cover gaskets on the 3.8 is a breeze. Just make sure that when you do the oil pan gasket to put a bead of new silicone/rtv around the new gasket if you don't it will leak. I found out the hard way.

X2. oil pan gasket is pretty easy.

The pan is about 20 easy to get at bolts, and being careful not to break the oil level sensor.

Valve covers are also easy, but the rear can be a pain if it's your first time.

The oil is most likely not coming from the rear main seal as most cars would have it. It's probably seeping from the rear engine cover. This is a bolted cover between the block and the flywheel. Engine or trans has to come out to tighten the bolts or change the gasket.