Oops! I left out the oil slinger!

[Ralph]

I've been working on the 258 I6 in my 1982 Wag Ltd. In the course of replacing the rear crank seal, oil pan gasket, timing chain, timing chain cover gasket, and front crank seal, it seems I forgot to put the oil slinger back on the crankshaft. I left it in my part cleaning tray and forgot about it.

I don't have another timing cover gasket and really don't want to go through the process again -- removing the radiator, fan, alternator bracket, vibration damper, then the timing cover.

Just how important is that dang oil slinger anyway?

[Crazy_Jeepman]

Don't know I would do it, though the I6 does not starv oil as bad as the V8.......I doubt I would leave it out though.

[davez26]

Engineers went through the time trouble and expense to get that thing designed in there. It sucks, but since you're already dirty, you may as well take it back apart and put it back on. Better now than in a month when you have oil all over or something fails and in a moment of inspiration you discover, "That's why that's in there!". Bummer, I've done stuff like that before as well.

[Ralph]

Okay, so what may happen if that little doo-dad isn't in place, and how long can I safely go without it?

[Crazy_Jeepman]

I would not even want to venture a guess

[Stuka]

to pull the pann on the 258 you have to take alll that stuff off?

[Nobby]

Wait a minute are you talking about the slinger that goes on the end of the crankshaft just inside of the timing chain cover.
I would say its there more for slinging oil away from the oil seal rather than lubrication purposes. You may of noticed that the rear of the crankshaft had a flange machined into the shaft that located in a groove in the main cap. Same deal reduces the amount of oil that actually gets to the seal.
Other designs are several grooves in the timing casing before the seal to catch the oil. All reduces load of oil on the seal.

My professional answer, put the slinger back.

My off the record answer leaving it out will probably cause the seal to have a reduced life in running with no drips. Effect on lubrication who can say probably very little.

[ March 29, 2003, 07:42 PM: Message edited by: Nobby ]

[Jeepadilly]

It is these little things in life that build character...replace the slinger would be my advise and your engine that you have just spent so much time on may live longer..."Why is there always time to do it twice but never enough time to do it right in the first place?" Just a thought...Regards
Brian

[Drivir8]

Yep, I got to agree... and now that you screwed up, you'll ALWAYS be extra carefull from now on! Just so ya know we have all been there.... many years ago doing a show in Atlanta, I was doing the lighting and because we had a small crew, ended up having to run the feeder cable by myself... now if you are not familior whith what feeder cable is, It is 5 VERY large cables, about the size of 4 or 5 welding cables for EACH run... these are banded together for 3 phase power, 3 legs, ground and neutral... anywho, because we where in a hotel, and it had to go through a big kitchen, I had to attach it to the ceiling... so you can imagine... this stuff weighs about 7-8 pounds a foot... that took well over an hour and SUCKED... well, to make a long story short, I ran it BACKWORDS!...... SO, I had to take it all down... turn it around, and run it AGAIN! and that REALLY sucked... BUT, I have NEVER run feeder the wrong way again... I always triple check it... so the moral of the story is do your pitance... pay the piper and put it in... You will be better for it in the long run... even if it REALLY sucks now!! :D

[Nobby]

I agree you should put it back in, but to clarify my above post and to answer your question I do not see any real harm that can come if you leave it off for a while.
At the worst you're oil seal will start leaking.

[greasyjeep]

Just think how good you will get at doing all that stuff?!?
Go ahead and do it, the peice of mind will help you get to sleep tonight, or tomorrow;)

[Jeepadilly]

Also...just a thought...does that slinger provide spacing for anything?

[Nobby]

Good point Jeepadilly.
Should probably find that there is enough machined shaft on the vibration damper to allow for the extra 25 thou or so that you pull it in. Does raise the issue that if your damper was grooved your seal will be running in a spot that may be detrimental. Plus now your belts will be sideways misaligned by 20thou or so nothing to worry about their tho.

Heck just put the darn thing back!

[gsmikie]

i always thru the slinger away i never put them in never had any problems they made them to slow oil down so it would stay on the crank gear longer so the nylon cam gear would be covered in oil so you would not hear the gear and chain going round and round i would not bother with it

[jeepcreep]

@*%! THE SLINGER RUN IT TILL IT DIES! then you will know first hand how important it is and you can keep us all up to date.professionally I would put it back in but i like being adventurous every once in awhile.GOOD LUCK

[turtle jim]

Every response so far makes a good point,but I think nobby and gsmikie nailed the bottom line.

[Ralph]

Thanks for your input, fellas. I put it back on.

It seems that the purpose of the dang thing is to sling oil away from the front crankshaft seal in the timing chain cover. Without the slinger, that seal will be overwhelmed with oil -- Wait a sec! I think I once paid a gal to do that to me! -- and begin to leak.

The whole purpose of the project was to stop oil leaks. No half-assitude allowed!

[ March 30, 2003, 12:18 PM: Message edited by: Ralph ]

[gsmikie]

oh well its not a serviceable part acording to the parts book