Cam Seal Change - Do I need to loosen the Camshaft?

755hp

755hp

Goal - 755hp
Jul 19, 2012
164
0
0
Tri-State Area & MI
What's happening fellow 7mgte folks! Alright, so now that my college semester is over I can tend to this oil leak on 7mgte. Just got my cam and front main seals in the mail from Driftmotion today. However, a mechanic told me that I need to loosen the camshaft in order to properly place the new cam seal in; he also said just removing/marking off the cam gear doesn't guarantee the timing belt won't shift a tooth over on the crankshaft gear. I thought you can just remove the cam cover, mark off the cam gear-to-timing belt, remove the cam gears and replace the cam seals (provided the belt doesn't shift on the crankshaft gear).

Question: Is it necessary to loosen the camshaft (take off valve covers to access camshaft bots) in order to properly replace the seals without scratching/damaging them? Can't I just mark off/remove the cam gears and replace the seals?

P.S. I'd like to do this job myself without f**king my timing over seeing as my Supra is a daily driver (need to get to work/internship). But the mechanic told me it will cost north of $600 for him to do this job properly in two days.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
 
S

super51fan

New Member
Jul 28, 2010
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You can replace the cam seals without removing the front cam caps. However I would not. If your seals are old and brittle enough to leak so is the FIPG on the front cam cap. Also your cam cover gaskets are probably old and leaking also. You should also reseal the core plugs on the black plate by plug wires. Also good time to replace plugs and wires. You also have a crank seal you say but you did not mention getting the oil pump drive seal. You might as well do all 4 seals under the timing cover at once. As well as resealing the cam caps with FIPG as shown in the repair manual. Replace the cam cover gaskets, Two small daps of FIPG are needed in corners of cam cover gaskets as shown in the manual. The Toyota repair manual is "sticky" in the 7MGTE section. I bet you will find all of the molded hoses hard and brittle. I would change them all. Yes it will add several hundred dollars but the job will be done correctly.

Don't worry about marking timing belt just follow instruction in the repair manual. Good luck. IMO

Y
 
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755hp

755hp

Goal - 755hp
Jul 19, 2012
164
0
0
Tri-State Area & MI
super51fan;2007055 said:
You can replace the cam seals without removing the front cam caps. However I would not. If your seals are old and brittle enough to leak so is the FIPG on the front cam cap. Also your cam cover gaskets are probably old and leaking also. You should also reseal the core plugs on the black plate by plug wires. Also good time to replace plugs and wires. You also have a crank seal you say but you did not mention getting the oil pump drive seal. You might as well do all 4 seals under the timing cover at once. As well as resealing the cam caps with FIPG as shown in the repair manual. Replace the cam cover gaskets, Two small daps of FIPG are needed in corners of cam cover gaskets as shown in the manual. The Toyota repair manual is "sticky" in the 7MGTE section. I bet you will find all of the molded hoses hard and brittle. I would change them all. Yes it will add several hundred dollars but the job will be done correctly.

Don't worry about making timing belt just follow instruction in the repair manual. Good luck. IMO

Y
Click to expand...

Hey thanks. I did my valve/cam cover gaskets already back in March; also replaced the spark plugs but not for wires (they seemed OK).

Oil Pump Drive Seal: Yea, you're definitely right about that; didn't even think that this seal would be a problem. I just assumed it was the cam and front main seal. Hopefully, Driftmotion has this part available.

Also, I guess I'll need an impact wrench to get the crank pulley bolt off. Lol Those things are probably torqued to 150+lbft.

I'll check the owners manual on this though.
 
S

super51fan

New Member
Jul 28, 2010
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Toyota dealer has FIPG as well as Driftmotion.

Crank bolt torque is 195 ft lbs.

Go to "sticky" in the 7MGTE section. 1990 TRMS. Great read.

You can use a chain wrench to hold crank pulley or use a impact.
 
Nick M

Nick M

Black Rifles Matter
Sep 9, 2005
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Just take the cap off. And it doesn't take two days.

FIPG.jpg


Picture from google....and some Toyota forum.
 
Canuckrz

Canuckrz

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Jan 13, 2009
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Permatex "the right stuff" is close to on par with the FPIG and more available if you're in a pinch and/or your dealer doesn't immediately stock it.
 
3p141592654

3p141592654

90T
Oct 11, 2005
3,816
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Thousand Oaks, CA
The exhaust cam seal is the one that turns to stone from the heat. The others are less likely to be leaking. You can drill a hole in the seal, drive a screw in it, and then use a slide hammer puller to get it out. With the cam in place not much room to get a seal puller in there and you might damage something. Or remove the outer cam cap then the seal falls out in you hand.

Don't use a chain wrench to hold the crank pulley, it will chew it up. If its a manual, put it in 5th and chock the wheels. If its an auto use this instead, or make your own.

http://www.handsontools.com/Schley-...rmonic-Damper-Pulley-Holding-Tool_p_6322.html
 
755hp

755hp

Goal - 755hp
Jul 19, 2012
164
0
0
Tri-State Area & MI
3p141592654;2007388 said:
The exhaust cam seal is the one that turns to stone from the heat. The others are less likely to be leaking. You can drill a hole in the seal, drive a screw in it, and then use a slide hammer puller to get it out. With the cam in place not much room to get a seal puller in there and you might damage something. Or remove the outer cam cap then the seal falls out in you hand.

Don't use a chain wrench to hold the crank pulley, it will chew it up. If its a manual, put it in 5th and chock the wheels. If its an auto use this instead, or make your own.

http://www.handsontools.com/Schley-...rmonic-Damper-Pulley-Holding-Tool_p_6322.html
Click to expand...

2 Questions: So the resistance 5th gear puts on the crank will keep it from rotating as I'm trying to loosen/torque down the front main crank bolt (195ftlb torque bolt)?? What about the cam gears?? Are there any tools (available in hardware stores) I can use to keep it in place as I loosen/torque down the cam bolts??
 
S

super51fan

New Member
Jul 28, 2010
497
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Indianapolis
The camshafts have flat spots to use a wrench to hold. I have never tried 5th gear and parking brake. It should work. BTW If you use a chain wrench cut a piece of drive belt to go around crank pulley before using chain wrench. I thought it was a obvious thing to do but forgot to mention it earlier.

If you are feeling up for excitement you can always use the starter and breaker bar. However much can go a foul if not careful.
 
755hp

755hp

Goal - 755hp
Jul 19, 2012
164
0
0
Tri-State Area & MI
super51fan;2008142 said:
The camshafts have flat spots to use a wrench to hold. I have never tried 5th gear and parking brake. It should work. BTW If you use a chain wrench cut a piece of drive belt to go around crank pulley before using chain wrench. I thought it was a obvious thing to do but forgot to mention it earlier.

If you are feeling up for excitement you can always use the starter and breaker bar. However much can go a foul if not careful.
Click to expand...

Hmm (starter and breaker bar), that must be that trick I saw on this guru mechanic's YouTube video (Scotty Kilmer). Yea....I don't think I want to try that seeing as my starter has been slipping as well (needs maintenance too).

I guess I have to buy the "special tool" from Toyota then??
 
3p141592654

3p141592654

90T
Oct 11, 2005
3,816
16
38
Thousand Oaks, CA
I take it you have an automatic. The starter trick is fine to get it off, but how would you torque it back up to 195ft-lbs. It is critical to torque it back to spec or it will come loose and destroy the crank and pulley.
 
755hp

755hp

Goal - 755hp
Jul 19, 2012
164
0
0
Tri-State Area & MI
Alright, so today I was able to get to my cam seal however, I'm not sure how to get these from cam caps off; I'm worried I might damage something if I strike at it with a hammer.

image1.jpg

Any suggestion of how to get this cam cap off so I can remove the oil seals?
 
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