[Cloud9...68]

My lower balance shaft cover is pretty well covered in oil, so I plan to re-seal it. But I'm wondering if there's anything else I need to do as far as the sealing of the lower balance shaft to prevent the leak from recurring. When I replaced the belts three years ago, I replaced the front seals of both balance shafts. Both were bone dry (as is the rest of the front of my engine), so I know that isn't the source of my leak. There's a seal in the back of the balance shaft, part number 99970187540, which is about six bucks, but I get the impression it isn't replaced very often.



So my question are: Should I go ahead and replace this rear seal while I have the balance shaft cover off? If so, what does it take to get this seal out? Does the whole balance shaft have to come out? If so, doesn't that basically mean the removal of the engine, because there isn't enough room in front of the engine to remove the balance shaft with the engine still in the car, right? Or is it possible to just loosen the balance shaft and slide it forward a few inches to allow removal of this rear seal?



By the way, I learned something new this weekend. I had assumed the balance shaft cover piece had a gasket between it and the engine, and that I would have to replace this gasket. It turns out the balance shaft covers are sealed so the block with Loctite 574 flange sealant, which is available from Walmart.com for $16.07 for a 50 ml tube, which should be plenty. You can also buy the stuff at your friendly neighborhood Porsche dealer (disguised, of course), but my dealer wanter $53 for a small bottle <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/ohmy.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />.

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[gbarrier]

Spray it down with some brake cleaner and run it a little to see just where it is really leaking from. Many times it is only leaking from around the plug in the center rear of the rear balance shaft housing. This plug sits in a O ring which shrinks and you can move it around with your finger. If this is the case, clean it very well and work some clear RTV into the crack. Works real good, last a long time. I know the purist would disassemble everything and replace that darn O ring but have done several and never had a problem.

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[Cloud9...68]

Thanks for the tip; I don't remember seeing a plug in the housing, but it's so covered in years' of oil that it's probably hard to see. I'll take a look.

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[Cloud9...68]

I took a look at the balance shaft cover last night. The plug which I think you are referring to is extremely loose on my car, so much so that if this were the source of my leak, I would expect to see oil gushing from it. Not knowing what I was doing (a common condition for me <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/ohmy.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> ), I checked to see how easy it would be to pry it off, but it didn't want to come off, so I didn't continue trying. I'm curious as to what I'm going to find when I remove the balance shaft cover; hopefully the balance shaft won't fall out and hit me in the head!

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[blue968]

I applied the RTV to my balance shaft and never had a problem since.

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[Cloud9...68]

"I applied the RTV to my balance shaft and never had a problem since."



Which part of the balance shaft did you apply the RTV to? The seal between the housing and the block (the manual calls for Loctite 574 there)? One of the internal circular seals? That disk-shaped metal plug at the back of the balance shaft on the outside? Mine is kind of flopping in the breeze, but it doesn't seem to be leaking from there. Thanks.



And I'm sorry, but the discontinuity between your avatar and your screen name never fails to crack me up <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/biggrin.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/biggrin.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[flash]

lol - he's independent (not red or blue)

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[earossi]

I am in the middle of re-sealing the lower balance shaft cover and replacing the seals, and it has turned into a nightmare.



To answer earlier questions, the plug in the rear of the balance shaft cover will not come out without pulling the cover. The plug fills a hole that must have been the site for some other accessory driven off the rear of the balance shaft in another Porsche design automobile (probably the 928). So, to save parts/money, the Germans took a part and just plugged the rear hole in the cover with that plug. If that is the sole source of your oil leak, then follow the suggestions to encapsulate the plug in RTV after cleaning the area with degreaser. Mine had been done that way by a PO, and had just begun to leak again. Thekey is to get the area absolutely clean, clean, and degreased before youpack the RTV in there. And, use high temperature RTV (usually colored red). I believe it is good up to about 400 degrees F.



I, being the purist, elected to pull the cover and replace all the O-rings and seals and to renew the seal between the cover plate and the engine. I am now regretting that I chose that path.



Everything came apart OK, but putting it back together is a nightmare. Trying to maneuver the cover plate into place without harming the Loctite 574 has failed at least 5 times for me. You run into interferences with the right side motor mount bracket and with the exhaust header, both of which impede access to the area. Both of these interfering items also require that you pre-place two bolts into the cover before putting it in place since interferences prevent being able to put the bolts in place once the cover is on the motor.



For anyone reading this thread who has successfully completed re-sealing the cover with the motor installed in the car, I would appreciate finding what you did to get the cover to seat properly without wiping some of the Loctite sealant off the mating surfaces. Specifically, do I need to remove both the exhaust header and the motor mount bracket in order to complete the job? I am ready to do that now, but removing the motor mount bracket is a PITA. The exhaust header is not as tough, but it is more work.



Any advice would be welcomed. What seemed like an easy job has become a saddening affair.

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