Crankshaft Destroyed? (8 Viewers)

[GP59]

Hey Mud,

So I did the one thing you should never do, and scratched the crankshaft where the crank seal mates on the front. I was doing the timing belt water pump job and figured I'd replace the seal while I was in there. Dug into it when the screw slipped and hit the crankshaft.

Any suggestions? Too deep to polish out? Take it to a machine shop? Just play it safe and have Mr. T throw in a new crankshaft?

 

[LJE]

Ouch.
That's (IMO) too deep to polish out. You could install a SpeediSleeve - you'd have to do it 'backwards' (flange facing outwards before removal), but it's doable.

You'd want to:

1. sand/polish the surface of the crank to remove all burrs above the surface.
2. Clean it very well with some brake cleaner
3. Then put some green bearing retainer on the inside of the sleeve, position the SpeediSleeve (again, flange facing outwards), and use a big socket or PVC cap or something to start tapping the sleeve on (straight!!!) with a hammer. Once it's started, you might be able to use the crank bolt to pull it in without fear of deforming it, but use your best judgment. Now that I think about it, putting the crank pulley on and using the crank bolt to start it might make the most sense.
4. Make sure you drive it far enough back to cover where the seal is going to ride. Once you do that, make the cut on the flange and peel it off as cleanly as possible.
5. Sand down the edge to remove burrs from when you peeled the flange off.
6. I'd put some tape over the edge you just sanded anyways to make sure it can't catch the seal when you install it and damage the seal lip.
7. Install the seal (lots of grease!!), remove the tape, and let the bearing retainer setup.

You might wonder "gee, that's a lot of detail, almost like you've done this before"...which is because I have. On someone else's vehicle that I was working on. Talk about stress - quite a good lesson to be STUPIDLY CAREFUL to never scratch a seal surface, and avoid the dumb "use a drywall screw to push the seal out" (which is exactly how I scratched the surface) method. The above fix has been leak-free with no issues, so it's a legit fix. If you do it, order two sleeves just so if you screw the first up you have a spare. That reminds me - I still have the spare I bought sitting in a box. I'd be more than happy to pass that on to you pretty cheap.

Pulling the crank would honestly be more work than just swapping the engine entirely. Sucks, but is true IMO.

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[RapidRob]

I can't comprehend how a screw "slipping" could cause that damage. but that said, It kinda looks like where the lip rides has the least damage.
You could clean it up best you can making sure to get any burrs that rise above the surface and try it.
You would be STUNNED how much Mr. T would want to "throw a crankshaft in it".
Good luck.

 

[GP59]

Ouch.
That's (IMO) too deep to polish out. You could install a SpeediSleeve - you'd have to do it 'backwards' (flange facing outwards before removal), but it's doable.

You'd want to:

1. sand/polish the surface of the crank to remove all burrs above the surface.
2. Clean it very well with some brake cleaner
3. Then put some green bearing retainer on the inside of the sleeve, position the SpeediSleeve (again, flange facing outwards), and use a big socket or PVC cap or something to start tapping the sleeve on (straight!!!) with a hammer. Once it's started, you might be able to use the crank bolt to pull it in without fear of deforming it, but use your best judgment. Now that I think about it, putting the crank pulley on and using the crank bolt to start it might make the most sense.
4. Make sure you drive it far enough back to cover where the seal is going to ride. Once you do that, make the cut on the flange and peel it off as cleanly as possible.
5. Sand down the edge to remove burrs from when you peeled the flange off.
6. I'd put some tape over the edge you just sanded anyways to make sure it can't catch the seal when you install it and damage the seal lip.
7. Install the seal (lots of grease!!), remove the tape, and let the bearing retainer setup.

You might wonder "gee, that's a lot of detail, almost like you've done this before"...which is because I have. On someone else's vehicle that I was working on. Talk about stress - quite a good lesson to be STUPIDLY CAREFUL to never scratch a seal surface, and avoid the dumb "use a drywall screw to push the seal out" (which is exactly how I scratched the surface) method. The above fix has been leak-free with no issues, so it's a legit fix. If you do it, order two sleeves just so if you screw the first up you have a spare. That reminds me - I still have the spare I bought sitting in a box. I'd be more than happy to pass that on to you pretty cheap.

Pulling the crank would honestly be more work than just swapping the engine entirely. Sucks, but is true IMO.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you! Really appreciate it. Will go with this approach. Do you know the speedisleeve number? Believe the crankshaft is 67mm. Will measure to quadruple check.

 

[LJE]

Thank you! Really appreciate it. Will go with this approach. Do you know the speedisleeve number? Believe the crankshaft is 67mm. Will measure to quadruple check.

Looks like the SKF Speedi-Sleeve 99182 is what I used, plus some green bearing retainer compound.

 

[scubadoober]

I know this is Monday morning quarterback, and I am not encouraging ANYONE to us this screw technique. (Even though it is all over the internet) The screw cannot bite into the metal collar embedded in the perimeter of the seal. So it deflect to the inner rubber section causing the above. You would have to pre-drill through the metal collar, which then can introduce metal shavings. For small seals I have used the Lisle shaft seal puller with success, but for bigger crank seals a hawk bill is great as long as the head can be clocked for restricted access. Good luck sir, and update the thread with pictures.