droptop z

I had a leak either from the water pump drveshaft seal or the Opti seal. I got everything torn apart and put back together, but I fired it up, everything looks good from the top but when I go to the bottom of the motor I see oil just dripping down. The water pump seal appears to not be leaking, so I guess it has to be the Opti seal. I had a long day doing this crap and now it is leaking worse than ever. I did'nt have any trouble installing the seals, I just cant figure out why it is still leaking. So whats is the trick to installing them correctly because obviously I did something wrong. Are they supposed to fit flush with the timing cover or do they go in farther? I need about as much help as I can get right now.

droptop z

I forgot to ask, what is the trick to installing the water pump driveshaft seal. I've read in other posts that it is really easy to screw up. Just need to know how to do it the right way cause I might of messed it up today. I guess I will find out when I pull it back apart.

droptop z

Anyone?

Purplemaroz28

if im not mistaken u need to drop the oil pan a little bit to slip the timing cover between the pan and the block.

CamaroSS30thAnn

yep and if u dont get it right it will leak , and bad

seawolf06

I'm pretty sure he's asking about the seals that actually go IN the timing cover for the opti and the crank. I used a piece of pipe and a hammer to get them in. I also put a little black rtv between the seal and the cover. Did you use Felpro?

Projectz28

the water pump seal can be really tricky. Here is the key.

First look at the seal, it has 2 lips, one facing in(tan in color I think) and the other facing out (dark gray color). You must install the seal with the lips in this position or it will never seal. I have found that the inner lip seal is slightly smaller than the drive shaft and will fold over if you dont use some finesse.

Install the front crank and opti seal into the cover. Now install the cover onto the engine(with the old waterpump seal removed). Then take the new seal and hold it in your left hand with the inward side of the seal facing your palm and the outward side of the seal facing out. Now use your right index finger and dip it in some oil and run your finger around the inner lip of the seal several times with a slight pressure outward against the lip seal. You are trying to stretch the seal slightly and the oil help lubricate the process. Keep running your finger around the seal. Probably 20 times. then tryo to install it over the drive shaft. If it doesnt go dont force it. Put it back in your hand and keep running your finger around the seal. Try again, no? keep running your finger around that lip back and forth. Use a little oil to keep it lubed up. Eventually you will stretch the inner lip just enough to slip the seal over the driveshaft. You may find that it will never stretch to the full size of the shaft... but if your carefull you can use a little finesse and wiggle it over the shaft once its been stretched a bit.

TAKE YOUR TIME!!! These seals are not easy to install correctly. But if you are in a rush or force it you will have a leak. All of the oil flying off the chain will be hitting the seal. The inner lip is there to digect "most" of teh oil away from the outer lip. The outer lip cannot hold back that much oil so it needs some help...


Once you do this slid it back to the cover and use a deep socket that is the same size or just under the same size and a hammer to tap the seal into the cover. Do not use any silicone or anything on the seal. These seals are made to installed DRY! Any silicone can interfeer with the seal itself if you use too much! Trust me if you install it dry and it is flush it will not leak on teh outside portion of the seal.

If you can see the tan lip sticking out of the gray lip... its not in right and the seal is now no good.

I dont know anyother way to do this or explain it. You just have to get a good "feel" for getting that seal in.

A lot of people screw it up and its not easy to do. I'm a pro at it now and I have done probably 10 of them this way and never had a leak.


edit: the only other way is to buy a special tool for installing these seals. Its basically a tapered cone that you use to push the seal on straight and stretch the seal all at 1 time. I've found it just as easy to use my method. Just dont scrw it up or it WILL leak!

droptop z

Yeah, I used the Felpro kit, but I'm buying another one tomorrow. After I got it back together yesterday I started it, and in about two minutes, I had oil seeping down the front of the timing cover. I took it all apart today after work and it appears to be the Opti-seal.

Does the Opti seal bottom out once it is installed all the way? Or is it flush with the timing cover? I just want to make sure because I am only going to do this one more time, and it has to be done correctly.

Thanks for the great advice on the water pump seal, even though it doesnt appear to be leaking I'm gonna change it anyway, I did'nt know really how to put it in but now I can be sure it is done correctly.

OBE1 95Z28

The waterpump drive seal can be stretched by finding a socket that's the same size as the ID of the seal (apply oil to the socket). I also found a Sharpie marker pen cap that was the size of the ID and tapered. This works as a great tool to slide the seal onto the shaft without rolling the lips of the seal. Again, use oil on the pen cap.