Well, one of them anyway...





The red arrow points to where I watched oil leaking as the engine was running. I'm wondering what that cover is, and if I have to remove the pulleys to get it off, and replace the gasket.


Also, the engine is disgusting, I know. Engine Brite is on the list.

 

That's the timing cover on a 300 inline 6. You'll need a timing cover gasket, front crankshaft seal ( might want to grab a sleeve kit for the balancer too ) and it would be a good time to replace the oil pan gasket too.


And the crank shaft pullies are actually part of the harmonic balancer. And yes you need to remove it to remove the cover. Which you will need a harmonic balancer puller to remove it. Do not try to remove it with a gear puller.

You will need to remove the belts, PS bracket and water pump pulley and front oil pan bolts also.

 

Thanks!!


Does the oil pan come out easily?

 

I haven't had to drop a oil pan in the van. But I believe you'll have to pull the nuts off the motor mounts at the frame mount perches. Then carefully jack the engine up, use a block of wood between the oil pan and the jack, just high enough to put a couple small blocks of wood between the motor mounts and the perches. You don't want to crush the oil pan sump. Then drain the oil, unbolt the pan and fish it out past the oil pump pick up tube and frame crossmember.

Not the funnest job but nothing too horrible.

 

Oh, OK. Reason I asked was because when I dealt with BMW straight 6s, it was the same deal. Had to raise the engine so the pan would clear the pump. Fun.


Another question, do you remove the fan when removing the belts??

 

Remove the fan first, then the belts. Otherwise you need some kind of strap wrench to hold the pulley while you break loose the bolts or, depending on the age of it, the fan clutch nut.

 

Makes sense. Somebody told me that you have work the belts on/off around the fan. Didn't seem right to me.

 

Went out today and put some ultra black into that gap. I'm hoping I can get it to stop leaking soo much until I can get the correct stuff. As it turns out the cover seal, crank seal, and sleeve are available as a kit for like $24, but said kit is a week away.