The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Crankshaft Pulley Sleeve

Just curious if anyone has any experience with the aftermarket Crankshaft pulley sleeve. It is a metal sleeve that looks like it is a press fit on the harmonic balancer to eliminate a worn grove, and to assist the timing cover oil seal from leaking.
Thanks,

Dale

I used one from CarQuest and it worked perfectly. It is stainless and quite thin. You end up with a perfect seal surface.

Actually I just found the original box that it came in. It was National part #99176 1.761 - 1.767 shaft. It comes with an installer tool.

Works great, but they're difficult to install without damaging the thin sleeve. I've found out a little heat with a propane torch expands the sleeve just enough to make it slip on easily. Most of the sleeve kits include a small tube of red LocTite to make sure it doesn't spin on the hub. Warm it up, apply the LocTite, tap the sleeve on with a small hammer and a block of wood, and let it cure overnight. You should get a perfectly smooth seal surface, and a stainless steel one at that, which is more wear-resistant than the original.
Jerry

That is good to hear. I purchased one from one of the aftermarket suppliers, and read the instructions about the tool. And I’m thinking what tool? Do I need the tool to install? It looks to be a press fit on the harmonic balancer with the curled lip on the engine side?

I am working on a 1946 Chevrolet utility, with a later 235 motor. I do see some prior leakage from the timing cover seal, and really do not want to pull the oil pan to replace the seal. Can I fabricate the tool? Or should I just go to CarQuest and purchase a new one?

Also, can I use a 3 point puller with a small slide hammer to remove the old seal? I think it would be nice to have a new seal in addition to the sleeve to assist in keeping that part of the motor clean.

Dale

Boy,
The catalogs don’t tell you a much, red LocTite? Mine just came in a little box with highly technical instructions, that did not make sense to me.

The problem with replacing the seal on the engine is getting the new one in. The old one will come out pretty easy with a small pry bar or a screw in the seal and pulled out like a nail in wood. The front cover is sheet metal and trying to press in a new seal with out bending the cover is tough. It usually takes a block of wood behind the cover for support and a press or hammer to get the new seal in.

A trick for lining up the cover so its center over the crank is to use a old balancer with the hole opened up a bit so it will slide right on the crank. Once the cover is on and the old balancer is in place, tighten up a few of the cover bolts to locate it. Then remove the balancer, tighten all the bolts and press your original balancer on. There may be a way to center the cover with another tool type, so set tight and see who comes up with it!

Joe

I've gotten into the habit of polishing the paint off the outer edge of the lip seal with my wire wheel buffer. That helps the seal slide in without having to hammer on it so hard. LocTite on the outer edge lubes it going in, and then leakproofs it around the outside. once it cures. If you haven't disturbed the relationship of the cover to the engine, centering it probably won't be necessary.
Jerry

Okay, so it looks like if I am to replace the seal, I can go two ways, one, I should pull the pan, pull the timing cover, replace the seal. I did not consider that a new seal will need the press force with no back support. Why is it that when I go to do a simple task, it turns out to be a major overhaul on everything I touch? By that saying, I may as well turn the lower timing cover bolts around so in the future the next job will not require dropping the pan.
It is hard to turn my back on issues that should be addressed when confronted with them.

Two, as you suggested Jerry, polishing the paint off the outer edge of the lip seal of the timing cover with my wire wheel buffer. That helps the seal slide in without having to hammer on it so hard. LocTite on the outer edge lubes it going in, and then leakproofs it around the outside. once it cures. Should I use a propane torch to heat the timing cover slightly, freeze the seal? And if I haven't disturbed the relationship of the cover to the engine, centering it probably won't be necessary.

Just frustrating.

Instead of a pully sleeve, I put a piece of small diameter wire behind the new seal when installing it, to shim it out. Then the seal will ride on a different spot on the balancer that isn't worn. Call me cheap!!!!!

Buffing the paint off, plus grinding a slight chamfer onto the leading edge of the seal will allow it to drive in without distorting the cover. Heating or freezing usually isn't necessary. I've been using those time-saver tricks over a lifetime of "flat rate" mechanic work to keep from starving to death. As long as the overall quality of the job doesn't suffer, time is money, and a few well-planned shortcuts will squeeze 10 hours' worth of labor pay into an 8-hour day most of the time.
Jerry

Speedi Sleeve: The first one I bought had no tool or lip to it. The instructions said to hammer it on with a blcok of some sort and rip the front portion off after where there was a parting line. Well the ripping part destroyed it completely. The second one I bought with the above part number had a lip and a tool. The tool slips over the shaft and rests on the lip. It is easy to hammer on. I left the lip in place because it didn't present a problem.

Seal: The old seal should come out fairly easily. I like to pry at the lip, rip it a bit and then yank it out with pliers. The new seal can be installed using a large pipe nipple as a driver. I don't think you need to hit it hard enough to bend the cover.