Hi All
Just in case anyone was curious what such things look like. I personally had never taken the lower cover off. It wasnt particularly difficult to get off. As others have noted the bolts which held it in place were surprisingly not tight. They werent falling off but held by maybe 12 foot pounds of torque. The gasket didnt seem to have been RTV'd but it was TOUGH to get off. It seemed glued to the block. The seals also surprised me in how hard they were stuck in the cover. Here's a question though, the FAQ's indicate it should be easier to
install the seals with the cover removed. How? After looking at it I am almost inclined to put the cover back on and use the Volvo tool to then push the seals in? Also what type of sealant would you use on the paper gasket for the cover? I am thinking Hylomar HPF, but how does that hold up to oil? Anyway here's the links to the pix(copy and paste).

http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq88/mmal231294/Oilsealsblckvlvo007.jpg
http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq88/mmal231294/Oilsealsblckvlvo006.jpg
http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq88/mmal231294/Oilsealsblckvlvo002.jpg

Matt

I hate seals but manage to get them in one way or another, after ruining one. I swear the Elring seals are oversized. The last front seals I did, was with the plate removed. It was sooo much easier. Yes, those plate screws always seem to be loose while the plate oozes oil.

For the gasket, I may have used RTV but I know I did at the oil pan gasket. I used Locktite 242 on the plate mounting screws. Any service removable thread locker is ok and I tend to use this on many other screws besides the front suspension hardware. Note that a rear seal plate screw did work is way out and blew out of the trany inspection plate while I was going 70MPH.
With the plate off the car, I tapped in the seal with a flat piece of wood and a mallet. For the rear seal, I started it dry, no lubricant just enough so it sticks and is parallel. Then lube and completed the installation. Your fine if the seal is flush with the cover. If you want to recesses the seal a little, finish with a piece of plastic pipe.

Just for the halibut, here is the rear seal plate. I hope you never see yours.

Great pix: I added them to the FAQ.
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See the 700/900 FAQ at the drop-down menu above right.

mmall231294,


That was gross. I thought the engine was lying in mud.

The filth was caked and baked, seeping and smearing.

I'm going to the car wash.



If you have the Volvo tool, it's probably best to use it. However, a soft mallet works well to install the seals flush with the cover.

I have a silicone phobia, so I never use it except under considerable coercion. A TINY amount of sealer would be preferable at the oil-pan joint.


Goatman


P.S, Change the oil and coolant after this job.

Yes as you noted it was filthy down there!! Believe it or not that is after I did a decent amount of cleaning. So am I correct that aside from making it easier to remove the seals which are "baked on", there isnt really any benefit to removing the cover? I guess you get to really clean the shafts well and it is kinda neat to be able to conceptualize how deep the seals want to sit...

personally i prefer not to remove the cover because it involves loosening a few pan bolts and getting the integrity of the pan gasket involved.

imo it is easier to remove and install the crank seal with the cover on the block.

liberally use oil or vaseline on the seal slide them on and then tap tap tap or use the seal pusher tool.

as for gasket sealer on the seal cover gasket if you use a dremel and wire brush to make the block surface and cover surface spic and span clean you should not need any sort of additive. there is next to no oil pressure down there to begin with.