Joe Scarpello

I have been leaking lots of oil. Look under truck and lots of oil around radiator and front pully. I think it could be front crank seal. Has any one changed this and is it an easy change. Thanks

dewman

You may want to purchase yourself a Chilton's or Haynes repair manual. The Haynes manual indicates that you will have to remove the radiator, fan shroud, fan and pulley before you can get to the front crankshaft oil seal. Seems like it would take a couple hours at least, maybe more.

aliens8mycow

Before going through all that, I'd make sure that it's leaking from there. Are you sure it's not leaking from the front of the valve cover and running down?

Maybe spray the motor down with some degreaser and rinse it off - with a clean slate, let it run and see where it starts coming out at.

Joe Scarpello

I have some much oil I need five cans of degreaser. Sounds like a good idea. I will degrease and be back

DixieDarkhorse

yeah you'd want to make sure, front of the oil pan seal is just below the front crank seal. i've got a factory manual and it doesn't say to remove the radiator. the upper radiator hose, the fan and shroud, belt and crank pulley, and the harmonic balancer. use a prybar to remove the seal, but it does say you need a special tool to install it. if i was you, i'd take the seal and find a piece of exhaust tubing a similar size. basicly you need something to drive the seal in square and you'll be going around the crank snout.

aliens8mycow

If you have that big of a mess, it would definitely be worth 5 cans of degreaser to make sure you're working on the right thing.

...just pray it's the valve cover gasket leaking down the front of the motor!

Good old Bill

Found a small slide hammer the best to remove the seals, drill a hole, screw in the screw and pop it out. As Dixie said, use something to install it, PVC pipe with cap is cheap and available. Take off what every is in the way. Work from under the truck.

clstan0113

I just finished replacing mine. It took about 2-3 hours to clear the path...first the airbox, radiator and upper/lower hose, fan/clutch and water pump can be taken off as one if your careful. There are also for bolts on the compressor / powersteering pump bracket that have to be removed. If they have never been out before, i would definatly recommend an impact wrench! None of the hoses or lines have to be disconnected on the compressor or the p/s pump because you only have to pull it foward about an inch to free up a stud on the water pump.
While your in there, you might want to invest another 50 bucks and pull the timing cover and replace the timing chain and seal too. Thats what i did since there was only an extra 20-30 minutes time there anyway to pull the cover.
-one thing to watch for...broken bolts for the timing cover! I ended up having to purchase a new cover off ebay for 60 bucks. The previous owner of this truck obviously tried to make repairs he wasn't capable of so preceded to jb weld a couple of broken bolts in the timing cover!

Oh yeah, as far as removing and installing the main seal, the previous poster is 100% on... two small holes, on both sides and screw in to small screws. Pry EVENLY on the two screws and the seal will pop out. A PVC pipe, or large socket if you have one will pop it back in nicely, just remember this key word...EVENLY!!!!!

Good luck!

DixieDarkhorse

why the radiator, and why the water pump? there not in the way.