87 VG30 Oil leak

[NeOkcOffRoader]

ok, i just got done tearing off the front of my pathys engine just so i could change the thermostat and radiator hoses...i figured i might as well fix my oil leak while im in there so i tore it down to this.....
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72...inderwork6.jpg

when removing the crank pulleys and harmonic balancer i noticed i could turn them about a 1/4 inch without moving the crank, i figured that wasnt right...turns out the keyways for both the pulleys and HB are chewed up slightly and the holes they fit in are wallered out...like this...
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72...inderwork5.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72...inderwork4.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72...inderwork3.jpg

not much i can do about the crank slots, so im gonna find new keyways and hope it holds....any opinions about this??

back to the original question, ive had an oil leak from the front of the engine for awhile now, i was told on here it might be the cam seals or crank seal...the cam seals are good, there isnt any visible oil around them at all...the crank seal seems to be ok, but its hard to tell really, i think its the front oil pan gasket, my question is will this part come off so i can replace the gaskets in that area or do i have to pull the motor and replace the whole oilpan gasket??
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72...inderwork1.jpg

one other thing, is this whole unit the water pump housing?? or am i going blind??
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72...inderwork2.jpg

sorry for the long post, thanks in advance for your help.....

[nissannut]

Your pix dont work. But I just changed my waterpump and timing belt. I had an oil leak all over the front. I tightened the valve cover bolts and it appears to be gone.

Yes the water pump is huge on the RWD vehicles.
Not sure about the keyway issue.

[Plush_Darkside]

Can't see the pics, but yes the waterpump piece goes all the way across the front of the engine and forms part of the timing cover on the sides. Although the pump and water passages are just a tiny area in the middle.

Was there oil inside the lower timing cover? if so it was probably the crank seal on the oil pump. If not then I would guess the pan is the leak.

There are really only 2 ways to do drop the oil pan, pull the front suspension off and drop it while in the truck, or yank the engine and do it out of the truck. I have a small oil leak on mine, but nothing bad enough to bother doing all that kind of work to fix it.

[NeOkcOffRoader]

Ok somehow parts of the links disappeared, but i fixed it and it they should work now in the quote below.....it seems the oil is coming from between the oil pan and the piece the crankseal is in....there isnt any oil up top and there didnt seem to be any in the lower timing belt housing, well i know the belt was dry anyways so i guess the leaks not there....will that piece (in the pic "pathfinderwork1") come off after i remove the water pump?? If it can i MIGHT not have to pull the whole pan cause it dont leak anywhere else...


ok, i just got done tearing off the front of my pathys engine just so i could change the thermostat and radiator hoses...i figured i might as well fix my oil leak while im in there so i tore it down to this.....
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/okcoffroader/pathfinderwork6.jpg

when removing the crank pulleys and harmonic balancer i noticed i could turn them about a 1/4 inch without moving the crank, i figured that wasnt right...turns out the keyways for both the pulleys and HB are chewed up slightly and the holes they fit in are wallered out...like this...
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/okcoffroader/pathfinderwork5.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/okcoffroader/pathfinderwork4.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/okcoffroader/pathfinderwork3.jpg

not much i can do about the crank slots, so im gonna find new keyways and hope it holds....any opinions about this??

back to the original question, ive had an oil leak from the front of the engine for awhile now, i was told on here it might be the cam seals or crank seal...the cam seals are good, there isnt any visible oil around them at all...the crank seal seems to be ok, but its hard to tell really, i think its the front oil pan gasket, my question is will this part come off so i can replace the gaskets in that area or do i have to pull the motor and replace the whole oilpan gasket??
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/okcoffroader/pathfinderwork1.jpg

one other thing, is this whole unit the water pump housing?? or am i going blind??
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/okcoffroader/pathfinderwork2.jpg

sorry for the long post, thanks in advance for your help.....
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