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Toyota 2H and 12H-T digital engine factory workshop and repair manual

1) Prep and purpose (why): the front crank seal keeps engine oil inside the timing/front cover while the crankshaft passes through that cover. It's a dynamic lip (elastomer) seal with a metal case and usually a garter spring that loads the lip onto the crank snout. Failure = oil weep/stream at the front, contamination, low oil, mess. Repair replaces the worn/hardened lip and restores the tight microscopic contact and spring preload so oil cannot migrate past the rotating shaft.

2) Safety and tools (short): safety glasses, gloves, jackstands, engine support if needed, harmonic balancer/crank pulley puller, seal driver or suitable socket, screwdrivers/pry bars, torque wrench, gasket scraper, cleaning solvent, new OEM-style seal and any timing cover gasket/RTV. Lower oil level below the seal or drain some oil to prevent heavy spillage.

3) Diagnosis check (theory): confirm leak originates at the seal and not the timing cover gasket or pulley joint. A leaking lip will show oil on the crank snout/pulley and run down. If crank snout is scored or there is excessive crankcase pressure (blocked ventilation), a new seal alone may fail — these must be assessed before fitting a new seal.

4) Remove obstructing components (order): disconnect battery; remove fan and fan shroud if present; remove drive belts; remove crankshaft pulley/harmonic balancer (use a puller to avoid damaging the snout); remove any front accessory brackets and the timing cover or front housing as required to access the seal. Keep track of timing marks and positioning—do not disturb injection/timing settings unnecessarily.

5) Expose the seal and protect the crank: with the cover removed, wipe oil away so you can see the seal bore and crank snout. Note orientation of the old seal (spring side faces the fluid side — normally toward the engine). This orientation matters because the spring keeps the lip pressed against the shaft in the proper direction.

6) Remove the old seal (theory + method): pry/extract the seal from the bore without enlarging or distorting the bore. The old seal is hard and the lip is the leak path; removing it reveals the shaft and housing condition.

7) Inspect shaft and bore (theory): the lip seals work by intimate contact with an almost undamaged shaft. Inspect the crank snout for radial scoring, pitting, corrosion, or burrs. Rotate the crank and check axial runout and end float. If the snout is damaged beyond light polishing, a new seal may not stop the leak — repair options are polish/stone to remove burrs, sleeve the snout, or replace the crank nose/hub per manual.

8) Clean and prepare surfaces: clean the seal bore and crank snout with solvent, remove old gasket material and oil residue. Lightly oil the new seal lip with engine oil so it doesn’t run dry on first start. Ensure mating surfaces are dry where gasket/RTV is required.

9) New seal choice and orientation (theory): fit an OEM or equivalent seal with correct ID/OD and material (resistant to heat and diesel oil). The seal’s spring faces the oil side/engine interior — verify markings. The seal lip must ride on the shaft with correct preload; using wrong type or reversed orientation compromises sealing.

10) Install the new seal to correct depth and parallel (practice + theory): use a flat seal driver or socket that only bears on the metal case, not the elastomer, and press evenly until the seal seats flush (or to specified recess depth) in the timing cover. Seating depth and parallelism matters: if cocked or not fully seated the lip will not contact uniformly and will leak.

11) Reassemble rotating components with correct torque and condition: fit the crank pulley/harmonic balancer, using threadlocker where specified, and torque the crank bolt to the factory spec. Reinstall belts, fan, covers and any gaskets/RTV as required. If timing components were disturbed, restore timing marks precisely.

12) Address crankcase ventilation and root causes: if the engine had excessive crankcase pressure, replace/clean the breather/PCV system or check for clogged ventilation. Overpressure will force oil past even a good seal.

13) Refill and test (theory + method): refill oil to proper level. Start engine and check for leaks at idle and under load. The seal relies on proper oil film and spring preload; immediate leaks suggest installation, shaft damage, or ventilation/pressure issues.

14) How this repair fixes the fault (concise theory): the worn/hardened/abraded lip allowed oil to migrate via capillary action or under pressure. Replacing it restores the elastic sealing lip and garter spring preload so the lip rides correctly on the crank snout, maintaining a hydrodynamic/microscopic seal. Correct seating and addressing shaft damage or crankcase overpressure removes the mechanical and pressure causes that allowed oil past the old seal.

15) Failure modes to watch for after repair (brief): persistent leak = damaged snout, misinstalled seal, crooked seating, wrong part, or crankcase overpressure. Repeated failure requires shaft repair or ventilation troubleshooting.

End.
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