crank and intermediate shaft seal replacement help

[Chris_B]

One of the front oil seals has given up the ghost on my 1800 Mk1 GTi. I'm in the process of removing the belt covers etc. at the moment to find out which one has gone  .

Have decided to replace the crankshaft, intermediate shaft and camshaft seals all at the same time as I don't want to be doing this again in a hurry .

I don't have the option of removing the engine from the car, but need to remove BOTH the crankshaft timing belt sprocket AND the intermediate shaft sproket to access the oil seals. This is where my problem starts......

Everything I have read so far says that both of these sprockets are a real PITA to remove requiring the application of some heavy duty torque to get the nuts holding them off free.  Main problem seems to be preventing the shafts from turning while trying to undo the nuts...

One suggestion I have seen is to get a trusty assistant to put the car in fifth and then stomp on the brakes while I go hell for leather with the breaker bar and socket on the crankshaft nut  . Will this work for the intermediate shaft too?

I've never tried this before so any tips or info would be REALLY welcome, especially from those that have "been there done that".

I'm still in shock after buying one of the oil seals from VW today - ?14 + VAT  . GSF do them for about 4 quid, but from what I have heard quality wise they are not up to snuff... I don't want to be doing this again in a few weeks time.

Cheers,

Chris

[mk1]

Hi Chris.
Leave the old timing belt on and crack the bolt loose, replace the seal and fit the old belt back on and re tighten. Obviously you are fitting a new belt, so damaging the old one doesn't matter.
Steve.

[golfvr6]

Agree with Steve.
Get a mate on the brakes with the car in 5th, all you can do is damage the old belt, so won't matter.
I think the crank bolt should be replaced as is a stretch type, might be worth replacing the cam and intermediate bolts as well, although not essential.

[Chris_B]

Thanks guys  .

It actually looks now like it may be the camshaft seal that has gone. I took all the timing belt covers off and ran the engine again having cleaned things up and it definitely looks like the leak is coming from either the rocker cover gasket or the camshaft seal.

The timing belt cover was just funnelling the oil down on to the lower pulleys which initially made me think this might have been the area where the leak was  .

I will replace both on Monday and see if that solves the problem.

Cheers,

Chris

[smithysmoo]

MAte was you able to get the lower cam cover off with the fan belt and wheels still in place as can't seem to get mine out.

Mine leaking oil from round here somewhere, but I'm thinking its from under the bottom cover.

cheers

[rubjonny]

Unfortunatly you cant, you have to take all the belts off and also the waterbump & crank pulleys 

[smithysmoo]

Stupid design, all off now and looks like its leaking from the intermeidate shaft the oil seal seems to have come out of the flange if this is possible??? Anyway I've pushed is back in at the bottom but can't get the top in so looks like I'm going to have to get the cam belt and wheel off and if I'm doing that I might as well replace the seals anyway.

Problem is the lower fan belt ain't got no noticable notch in so struggling with TDC.

[GTI EDITION (aka LTD)]

I have often found the main cause of oil leaks around that area is the green ' O ' ring hardening over time , it's located between the thick trust plate/auxiliary shaft retainer and the block which is secured by the two 13mm bolts that you can see behind the auxiliary shaft pulley.
It' is easy to replace this once the pulley and retainer have been removed  

(Sorry I'm bit late in reading this post but hope my contribution is of use to someone  )

[smithysmoo]

Yeah well I'm off to VW later to order me self a new intermeidate shaft oil seal and O ring. Bound to have to go on order for next week but I suppose it will give me time to work out TDC and get the sprocket of some how.

 

[rubjonny]

You've got 2 ways or working out TDC with no pulley mark:
1. Line up the TDC mark on the flywheel with the arrow on the gearbox, through the timing check hole on the top of the gearbox.  You need to remove both the clear plastic cap and unscrew the green plastic surround bit
2. Take out sparky #1 and drop something long & thin down the hole, like a screwdriver.  Carefully turn the engine over by had till the piston gets to the top of its travel.  Keep an eye on whatever you put down the hole as it can bind.  I used a pencil and nearly snapped it in half