aymaddemir

Hi all,

I am running a 96 LS400, just done timing belt replacement on 360000km, after a month i saw the engine oil is leaking, at first i thought its a valve cover gasket, but it came out that camshaft oil seals are leaking...

I noticed the engine is working flawlessly but the camshaft timing marks are not matching with their marks... seems like the idiotic mechanic didnt match the timing marks with the belt...

Now i want to change the camshaft oil seals, how do you suggest me to do it..
maybe that mechanic did install the crankshaft pulley also without matching it with the 0degree...

... How do i get a correct timing marks again??? plz help

dicer

If your not mechanically inclined its best left to someone that is. If you don't need the car and don't care if it gets goofed up then go ahead and make it a learning project.

LsG86

When you install a timing belt, you line it up with the Cam marks but when you turn the engine a couple of revolutions by hand or when you crank it, the belt will NOT lined up with Cam marks, this is normal. Instead you look at the marks on the Cam pulleys and the dents on the back plates behind the pulleys.
If the engine is running flawlessly, then your mechanic probably did everything correctly.

LsG86

For changing Cam and crank seals check this out https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-1st-and-2nd-gen-1990-2000/788466-91-ls-project-is-the-timing-lined-correct.html

deanshark

If the cam seals are leaking to the point where its very noticable, you need to change them soon. If they keep leaking the oil will get on the timing belt and make that slip and jump time. Then you're really screwed. If you're not mechanically inclined bring it to a mechanic. This is not a job to learn on, seeing how the T-belt has to come off the cam pulleys again. Too many things can go seriously wrong afterwards.

nthach

I just tackled this on my car but I lost the crank bolt last night - how far you in the stage of doing things?

Here's what I did - this on a 1991 model, I'm not sure if the 1995-1997 engines are freewheeling -
- Rotated the crank to TDC per the harmonic balancer AKA crank pulley, noticed the cam marks on the cam sprockets and the rear timing covers were off, RH cam was off by 4-5 teeth, LH cam was off by 5-6 teeth
- I took off the harmonic balancer and I cleaned off the oil pump until I found the reference mark on the oil pump and the crank sprocket - those lined up. I stuck a piece of 1/8" steel rod to serve as a visual guide to when I got TDC.
- Once I took the timing belt off and replaced the cam seals, I rotated the cams counter clockwise or clockwise with the cam sprockets installed, and I was able to retime the engine.

Use an OEM or OEM supplier belt(Mitsuboshi is the OES, but I'm sure Gates will work too) - they are marked to help installing the new belt easier.

This tool makes removing the seals a lot less painful and safer to the cam and cranks: . I used a piece of PVC pipe to home the seals, they installed with finger pressure at first but were cocked until I pressed them home.