The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop front oil seal leak 235 chevy

I've got a leak on the front of the engine behind the harmonic balancer. I pulled to balancer off and it has a little wear grove in it. Isn't there supposed to be a cupped washer between the timing gear and the end of the balancer kinda like an oil slinger. Thanks in advance. Larry

There is a seal in the timing gear cover. It can easily be replaced, sometime by not even removing the timing gear cover.

There is sometimes a groove worn by the seal into the surface it rides on. There are a variety of repair "sleeves" being sold to eliminate the leaks. I like the complete kit sold by Rockauto - seal, stainless-steel repair sleeve, and sleeve installer (no need for glue/adhesive for this style repair sleeve).

My balancer does have a grove in it and I'm going to see about a sleeve for it, but does this engine have a cupped washer between the timing gear and the harmonic balancer. If it does I need to find one to put it right. Larry

My 216 did and two out of the three 235s that I've rebuilt did not.

If you have a good seal,and a smooth H.B. you don't need one there is no oil presure in that area only oil draining back to the pan.Install the sleeve,you can get one from any FLAPS the one for a SBC is the same.I got mine from auto zone for 3.00.

Pete

Larry,

What year 235?

It's a 58 to 62. I just got back from NAPA, ordered sleeve and new seal. Think I'll try that and see what happens. Thanks for the help guys.Larry

There was no oil slinger on my 1950, 216:
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/120361672

Here your repair sleeve for the damper Larry:
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/148895592
I happened to use the SKF sleeve in this picture,
click on the 'next' button to see how it is installed:
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/148895646
DG

Thanks Denny. Did you have to have the face of the balancer turned down or can you use a little sandpaper to clean it up.Larry

Are you refering to the surface where the seal rides?? No that's
why you are using the Speedie Sleeve. It's sized to fit the
standard od of the damper. Just make sure it's clean of varnish
or such. They're a light press fit. I like the SKF sleeve even
though it's three times as much because it has a flange and
comes with a driver. It presses on real nice, smooth and
straight. I also used a tiny dab of Permatex as shown in the
picture.

Denny G

Thanks Denny. I'll just clean it up and put it on like you did. I'm not sure the one I'm getting from NAPA has that flange on it but I'll use what I get.Larry

How would one go about installing the one without the flange? I used the SKF one too.

You just press it on till it's flush with the end of the damper
Fred. The damper bottoms against the boss on the crank so you
want it on all the way flush. There is enough length that it
covers the groove.
The one with the flange gets pushed on till the edge is even
with the champher on the damper, which is a about an 1/8"
beyond flush. You can see it in this picture:
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/148895650
DG

You can also cut some gasket material to the size of the seal that goes into the timing gear cover and place it in the indention the seal goes into before you put the seal in the cover. The thickness of the seal material will hold the timing cover seal just far enough out from the groove in the crankshaft after installation that it will be riding on a new surface and will seal just like new.

Seal goes into cover from inside, how do you do that trick?

Those timing covers out in Oregon must be different than the
ones we have back this side of the Mississippi, the seal
presses into the cover from the front just as Tim instructs:
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/120361672/original

Denny G

BC,

I was relying on my always poor memory (even though I put in a seal and sleeve this past summer). You should have done what I should have done (I checked it now - it only takes a few seconds with the manuals being on the TOCMP/OOCM): check the Shop Manual.

Thanks, Denny.

It is nice to be right at first. But, it is more important that the correct information be provided/confirmed in the end. None of us should take offense to being questioned and being corrected.

The question of an oil slinger got me thinking and checking whether a 235 should have one. I have seen them on some but not all.
I have a GM package of what GM labeled Ring,(Group 0.662, Part #3723794) they look like a flat washers with a notch to fit over the key on the crankshaft.
The parts book has a note with the 1955-62 truck balancer, "Note: When used on 1955 All 6 cyl.(2nd ser.), 3723794 spacer must be used to accommodate oil slinger".
The interesting thing is there is no listing for an oil slinger under Group 0.648 Slinger for a 235, only V8's.
Some of these are hard to figure out.

Yes they are Dave, leads to a lot of cornfusion. Pete says he
had as slinger on his '52, 216 and not on the 235's, I didn't
have one on my '50, 216 and neither do I have one on my '54,
235, which has the front of the engine apart right now.

DG

My parts books do not show a slinger for a 6 cylinder newer than 1938.

Denny, Tim & all,

Sorry about that one, old analog brain in a digital world seees to be an issue for me still. As the slogan was, "Oregon, things look differant here" seem a good a reason for that blunder as any I can think of. I'll work on the brain thing & try to keep from such sillyness.

No sweat BC. I was wrong once my self, but, it turned out, I was mistaken.

We all depend on our "analog" memory in these discussions but as
you say, these old memories are sometimes faded. That's why I,
and I'm sure Tim does also, build up these piles of reference
material. Thank god for these "digital" machines on our desks,
without them I can barley spell my name or put a sentence
together that one can make sense of. The important thing is
that we all had the discussion and sorted out the correct
answer.

Denny G

Well got my oil leak fixed. Learned a new lesson about auto parts stores. I usually use my nearest NAPA store for parts and have had no trouble, decent prices good service no problems. Went in and ordered the speedi sleeve and a front seal from the usual guy I deal with, went back yesterday to pick them up and the price was nowhere's what my usual guy quoted me. The counter guy, I think he was store manager, charged 28.80 for the sleevve and 9.37 for seal. I asked why the difference and he said he charged retail and if he could he'd raise the price more. Told him to keepem and when to Advance Auto and paid 4.99 for seal and 7.89 for the speedi sleeve, same parts. I guess my being partial to NAPA all the years don't mean anything to them.Larry

sorry to hear that. i have a thing going with my napa guy, i try to stump him on a part or part number and rarely do unless its something special. he gives me a great discount on all parts that the average joe doesnt get. youll jst have to go there when the other guy is there.

now give that seal a road test