Oil Leak behind harmonic balancer

[Immortality]

Yup. Fitting a seal dry is asking for a leak.

 

[olm8]

Bewdy. Thanks fellas. With any luck I can get back to adelaide without using 7 litres of oil! I reckon I'll give the key keyway sealant a miss, but will make sure I lube up the seal. The mechanic talked up how he always replaces the seal - mentioned it more than once, which is why i remembered it.

 

[olm8]

I have the puller attached to the harmonic balancer- but when I turn it (clockwise) to pull off the balancer, the balancer just spins as if I am turning the crank. What's causing this?

 

[ant797]

I have the puller attached to the harmonic balancer- but when I turn it (clockwise) to pull off the balancer, the balancer just spins as if I am turning the crank. What's causing this?

key snapped or peg whatever you want to call it?

 

[olm8]

key snapped or peg whatever you want to call it?

Yeah possibly. Dont know. I may need to lever off the balancer to find out.

 

[Trevor loves holden.]

Didn't they replace the key when they last did it?

 

[Immortality]

I have the puller attached to the harmonic balancer- but when I turn it (clockwise) to pull off the balancer, the balancer just spins as if I am turning the crank. What's causing this?

The balancer is tight on the snout of the crank so it's likely the whole engine is turning over. You need to wedge something in between the puller and the ground or chassis to stop the puller turning so all your effort is going into pulling the balancer off the crank.

 

[Trevor loves holden.]

Like to see the set up your trying, did you leave the bolt in HB or is your duck foot doing up inside the HB bolt thread if its possible?

 

[olm8]

Sorted. Thanks everyone. New seal and balancer in. Both were cactus. The mushroom tip high tensile attachment with the puller was too wide for the shaft to the crank and was fouling on the balancer. Took it off and had the balancer off in 10 mins. Dumbass mistake!

I literally jacked up the car on a piece of 2×4 pine to stop the rotation using a breaker bar.

 

[mirrabucca]

You should always replace the seal when removing the HB as over the 1000's of k's, the seal wears a groove in the HB sealing surface. When you put the HB back on, the seal may not sit right in the same place in the groove. So it leaks. A new seal has more meat on the sealing rubber.
You can make a tool to hold the crankshaft still while you undo the HB bolt, or if you are careful you can use the starter. Viz:
REMOVE the main EFI relay. YOU MUST DO THIS! Having the engine start at this stage would be very dangerous.
Try to start the engine - it will crank, but it should NOT start. If it does, you have removed the wrong relay.
Get a very strong breaker bar and a decent socket (1/2 inch drive minimum). Place the socket on the HB bolt and make sure its seated fully (also make sure its the right size, and not "she'll be right" close.
Place a block of wood on the left hand chassis rail and turn the engine anti-clockwise until the breaker bar handle is on the piece of wood. Make sure it is firmly on the piece of wood and jammed hard against it. You dont want that slipping!
Get everyone well clear, switch ignition on. Turn the key to the start position briefly. That will use the starter to try to turn the engine and loosen the bolt. It may take one or two goes. When it "cracks" (loosens), dont turn the key anymore, use the breaker bar (or your fingers, it will be loose).
This worked for me, but use it at your own risk. I cannot be responsible for people with less than experienced technical skills.
Of course, you cant tighten it up this way. Best to make the tool, you'll need it again.
When I did mine I couldnt find a socket (etc) that would sit in the HB hole and bear against the crankshaft to pull the HB off. I eventually got a high tensile bolt that would fit inside the threaded area of the crank and bear against the end of the hole (behind the threaded area.