I-6 Front Seal: how to replace

My '92 XJ I-6 blew its front seal out in the desert last weekend. Anyone know a www link to a description of what steps are needed to replace the seal?

I don't know if I have to pull the radiator. I'm guessing I don't have to pull the pan??

Thanks!
Mike

Did my 88, it was pretty easy, but i should warn you its easy to get a case of the "while Im at it's" when you take off enough stuff to get at the timing chain cover!

This is what I did:
remove radiator, fan(s), pully, ps pump, water pump, belt
harmonic balancer( mine slid off, no puller), timing chain cover

replaced timing set ($40 Autozone)
replace gasket/front seal with kit ($16 Autozone)
sleeved harmonic balancer ($8 NAPA)
new water pump ($30 Autozone)
new GDI ($99 800radiators)
pacesetter ($179 JCW)
new motor mounts ($16 ea....oh and on and on and on...be careful

the front seal can be dug/hammered out of the TC cover but the new one needs to be pressed (hammer and a 2x4) in. it comes in the gasket kit as does the pan gasket and the front oil pan gasket

The harmonic balancer sleeve is simply a cup made of thin stainless steel that sleeves the part of the harmonic balancer that sticks through the seal. If your balancer has scoring on it, a new seal wont fix the leak...sleeve it. Put the sleeve in boiling water and your balancer in the freezer for an hour or so. Its a really tight fit.

Since you need to remove so much just to get at the pan, you may as well replace everything you can afford.

Others may have done it without removing everything I did, but I wanted to maker it easy on myself. Figure a day.

you know now that I think about it, i dont remember whether it was the HD that slid off without a puller or the timing gears. I know I had both pullers and I didnt have to use themm for something. probably the timing gears. Oh yeah and dont lose the drift key that slides in with the HD.

you know now that I think about it, i dont remember whether it was the HD that slid off without a puller or the timing gears. I know I had both pullers and I didnt have to use themm for something. probably the timing gears. Oh yeah and dont lose the drift key that slides in with the HD.

Correct - you shouldn't need a puller for the timing set. You WILL need one for the damper, and DO NOT use a 3-jaw gear puller, unless you plan on replacing the damper as well! The "crow-foot" puller with the three bolts is the one you will want, and the bolts are either 5/16-18, or 3/8-16 (I don't remember which.)

It is not strictly necessary to take the cover off, if you have a seal puller or a bent screwdriver you can get the seal out with the cover in place (I've done it.) You may want to buy the front seal and the damper resleeve kit - if you don't use it, save it for later. You'll also need a longish 1/2-20 bolt, nut, and a stack of washers (or an install tool) to put the damper back, DO NOT use a hammer!

Whether or not you pull the radiator depends on your confidence level, and if you trust your ability to drill the correct size hole in a 2x4 for frame the crnak snout while driving the seal in. I also suggest a thin bead of RTV Black on the outside of the seal - to keep oil from leaking past the seal shell (I've seen it happen) and to prevent the seal working loose over time. I've done the job in an hour, leaving nearly everything in place - but I've made some small tools to help as well... It seems the longer I have my XJ's, the more tools I end up making...

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