3.8l help

[jderry]

My car started dripping oil the other day.
I put it on the lift, looked to be leaking from the front timing cover seal.
I pulled the pulley off looked wet around it.
The seal looked to have been worn some, so I replaced it.
I go out to my car after school and there was a qrt or so of oil on the ground.


Is that seal known to go bad?
Could my crank pulley be worn too much to make good enough seal?

[Fbomb]

Maybe you put the pulley back through the seal dry? I smeared some vaseline on mine to keep it from wearing the seal on initial startup. Could be between the timing cover and oil pan too?

[jderry]

Maybe you put the pulley back through the seal dry? I smeared some vaseline on mine to keep it from wearing the seal on initial startup. Could be between the timing cover and oil pan too?

I used assembly lube.
I thought it could be, but theres oil flung all over now.
like it was on the shaft of the pulley spinning all around.

[bri2203]

sounds like you installed the seals wrong or the installed the wrong seal.

[97rs4life]

haven't heard too many of those going out. Usually the problem with the 3.8s is the rear main seal leaking and dripping onto the exhaust ypipe. The front of the engines are usually pretty dry.

[TrickyTransAm]

My experience is the front seal will wear a groove into the harmonic balancer. If there is a groove worn into it, you can purchase a Timkin repair sleeve that you tap over the balancer snout which will give a fresh flat sealing surface for your new front cover seal to ride on. I had to replace it on my 90 and on the 98 motor in the garage.

[jderry]

Got the repair kit and a new seal, still leaked.
Went as far as getting a new harmonic balancer and another new seal.
It stopped leaking, I let it run for maybe 30 min.
Took it for a short 5 minute drive around the block, my k member was covered.
Still not fixed =(

[TrickyTransAm]

Can you take a picture of where it's leaking?

Take a photo of the area, a photo of the original harmonic balancer snout, and a photo of the cover if possible.
Are you sure it's not leaking from the cam position sensor o-ring or the oil filter adapter housing and spraying out?

When you put the new seal on, did you use any adhesives to keep the seal in place?
There's an oil bleed hole behind that seal and if that's plugged with goop, you may be building pressure behind the seal and blowing it out.