Camshaft oil seal

[David Norville]

I had a substantial oil leak at the front of the engine and decided it was the Camshaft seal so I bought one online. When I removed the pulley I found there was no seal to be seen so I have fitted the new one and all is good. My question is...where is the old seal, can it have dropped into the internal part of the engine ? The new seal I fitted flush with the engine block. If the seal has fallen into the oil gallery will it cause any damage?
Thanks
Dave

 

[mojobaby]

Hi David, what size engine do you have? some engines don't have an oil seal

 

[David Norville]

1108 in a Renault 4 to Spanish specification, the seal I bought fitted perfectly but I was careful not to push it too far into the block.

 

[mojobaby]

Yes, there is an oil seal on the 1108, but not on the 845cc. I've no idea where your old one has ended up. It might just be lying in the sump where it will do no damage.

 

[David Norville]

Thanks, that was my opinion, I was amazed how little oil was coming out considering there was no seal there at all.

 

[mr-reno-139]

Did you take gearbox out to check the seal as it is impossible to remove the cam seal without the special tool which goes down past the hole in alloy gearbox bell housing and expands and grips seal to pull it out ?

 

[David Norville]

Did you take gearbox out to check the seal as it is impossible to remove the cam seal without the special tool which goes down past the hole in alloy gearbox bell housing and expands and grips seal to pull it out ?

No need on my engine as the camshaft seal is above the bell housing and the can shaft pulley drives the water pump and alternator.

 

[mr-reno-139]

Do post some pictures as the alloy bell housing goes up and over the end of camshaft
Mystified ☺☺
I've just fitted new seal in my rodeo engine as a precaution

The oil seal is a tight fit into engine block and there is not supposed to be a seal in the alloy part of gearbox behind cam pulley

 

[David Norville]

I will take a photo tomorrow but the bell housing has a cut out for the pulley on the end of the camshaft and with the pulley off you can see the clutch cover.

 

[David Norville]

After studying your pictures I see your camshaft and bell housing are different to mine. My camshaft finishes virtually flush with the engine block and the cut out in the bell housing allows the pulley to be removed and the new seal to be fitted without the need to remove the gearbox, a much better design for maintenance. My car dates from 1983 and was made in Spain but I am unsure if it is the original engine.

 

[David Norville]

 

[harbourseal]

Hi David,
Looking at your own picture. I can't find any difference with Paul's.
I do think you have pushed your brand new oil seal into the hole of the bell house.

To replace the camshaft oil seal you have to remove the gearbox or you need a special tool to get to it.

Regards, Robert

 

[malcolm]

Paul's gearbox is Renault 5 which has a longer bellhousing with a bigger gap to make the belt easier to change. It is still possible to change the belt in a Renault 4, but really tight.

The camshaft passes through the gearbox bellhousing. On the Renault 5 TX there is a bearing with a seal in the gearbox bellhousing, but I don't recall anything being there on the Renault 4. I think the seal is in the engine.

 

[harbourseal]

On the Renault 4 the oil seal is situated in the engine. The camshaft passes through the bell house I've never found any seals there.

That's probably why David didn't find the seal. I don't think it ended up in the sump.
I'm quite sure it is still in place around the camshaft behind the bell house

 

[David Norville]

Quite true Malcolm, there is no bearing in the bell housing on my 4 gearbox, and the seal was inserted into the engine block.

 

[David Norville]

I can see a definite difference in my bell housing because where mine mates to to engine block there is a cut out for the pulley which bolts to the end of the camshaft whereas on the photo Paul posted there is some casting between the block and the cut out for the camshaft pulley.

 

[mr-reno-139]

Still mystified ☺

 

[David Norville]

 

[David Norville]

Hope this helps, you can clearly see the camshaft seal.

 

[mr-reno-139]

Yes just curious how in my 40 years of R4 and renaults in general swapping things about between models
why a Spanish car would have a different casting on bell housing that allowed acess to that seal
Have you got pic of your engine taken same angle as my most recent pic ?☺