Advice needed: 2000 B350 crankshaft seal leak
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Advice needed: 2000 B350 crankshaft seal leak
B350 Ram Van
Year: 2000
Mileage 85K
Engine: 512L
My mechanic showed me where the leak was coming from. He said it was the crankshaft seal.
It's not a significant leak -- no more than a few drops a week.
A few questions:
1. Does anyone have experience with -- and is it a reputable, worthwhile product?
2. Any idea what the cost might be for replacing the seal?
3. If I let him replace the seal, is it worth either adjusting -- or replacing -- the timing chain? Are there other repairs he should do while he's doing the seal and removing the other components (alternator, radiator...whatever)?
Year: 2000
Mileage 85K
Engine: 512L
My mechanic showed me where the leak was coming from. He said it was the crankshaft seal.
It's not a significant leak -- no more than a few drops a week.
A few questions:
1. Does anyone have experience with -- and is it a reputable, worthwhile product?
2. Any idea what the cost might be for replacing the seal?
3. If I let him replace the seal, is it worth either adjusting -- or replacing -- the timing chain? Are there other repairs he should do while he's doing the seal and removing the other components (alternator, radiator...whatever)?
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 87,465
Likes: 4,220
From: Clayton MI
512 liter? Holy smokes! That's gotta be expensive to feed. 
That seal can be replaced without pulling the timing cover. If you aren't having any leakage around the cover itself, leave the timing chain for when you do the water pump. You are probably looking at an hour of labor, maybe one and a half.... and the price of the seal. Might just as well replace the serpentine belt as well, since it has to come off anyway. Parts should be under 50 bucks. (belt, and seal.)
I don't use any of the 'magic fix' chemicals. 90% of the time, they simply don't work.
That seal can be replaced without pulling the timing cover. If you aren't having any leakage around the cover itself, leave the timing chain for when you do the water pump. You are probably looking at an hour of labor, maybe one and a half.... and the price of the seal. Might just as well replace the serpentine belt as well, since it has to come off anyway. Parts should be under 50 bucks. (belt, and seal.)
I don't use any of the 'magic fix' chemicals. 90% of the time, they simply don't work.
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From the way you describe it, it doesn't sound like a big-deal repair, even though he's got to remove a bunch of things to get to the engine seal. So at most 2 hours, under $200 for labor.
The reviews on Amazon are typical bell-shaped curve: people either rave about how well it works -- or rave about the damage it's done.
BTW, you should see my other vehicle with it's 1024MB engine. It really does smoke.
The reviews on Amazon are typical bell-shaped curve: people either rave about how well it works -- or rave about the damage it's done.
BTW, you should see my other vehicle with it's 1024MB engine. It really does smoke.
Administrator
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 87,465
Likes: 4,220
From: Clayton MI
From the way you describe it, it doesn't sound like a big-deal repair, even though he's got to remove a bunch of things to get to the engine seal. So at most 2 hours, under $200 for labor.
The reviews on Amazon are typical bell-shaped curve: people either rave about how well it works -- or rave about the damage it's done.
BTW, you should see my other vehicle with it's 1024MB engine. It really does smoke.
The reviews on Amazon are typical bell-shaped curve: people either rave about how well it works -- or rave about the damage it's done.
BTW, you should see my other vehicle with it's 1024MB engine. It really does smoke.
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,376
Likes: 115
1. Does anyone have experience with BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak -- and is it a reputable, worthwhile product?
2. Any idea what the cost might be for replacing the seal?
3. If I let him replace the seal, is it worth either adjusting -- or replacing -- the timing chain? Are there other repairs he should do while he's doing the seal and removing the other components (alternator, radiator...whatever)?
2. Any idea what the cost might be for replacing the seal?
3. If I let him replace the seal, is it worth either adjusting -- or replacing -- the timing chain? Are there other repairs he should do while he's doing the seal and removing the other components (alternator, radiator...whatever)?
2. Different shops charge different so it doesn't matter what we tell you, it will be wrong.
3. The crank doesn't have to come out to replace the seal so I wouldn't touch the timing chain at this time. The time to inspect or replace the timing set is when the water pump comes off. The only thing extra I'd be sure he does when changing the seal is to fully remove and clean the inside of the oil pan. You could have him change the oil pump while he's got the oil pan down, but it's not a real concern at this point unless you feel your oil pressure could be better.