97 4.0 Harmonic balancer seal leaking!

[cdxhizors]

So when I first started driving this truck after it sat for a few years the timing cover had a coolant leak.. So I replaced the timing cover gasket, water pump and harmonic balancer(rubber had seperated). Of course I used a new seal. Well I didn't use the ford special tool so a few hundred miles later I had a leak. So I tore it apart again.. Used a micrometer and center the cover the best I could and set the depth of the seal again and went on my way.. Here I am 300 miles on that seal and it's leaking again. Wtf! So I'm gonna order the tool but I'm taking it apart today. What should I look for? How do I know what's wrong? And what's the correct way to re-assemble this? Chiltons manual is useless for this.

 

[cammeddrz]

Post a pic of the snout of the balancer. A lot of times it's been worn by the seal.

 

[Big Jim M]

Many times when the "snout" has a groove from the seal wear I simply adjust the DEPTH of the new seal so the actual sealing area is in a different depth than the original wear is.
I have never used a wear kit on a front seal.
Also that leak may be caused by excessive BLOWBY. Check and replace the PCV.
Big Jim

 

[cdxhizors]

The balancer has less than 500 miles on it.. Still looks bran new. No wear marks or anything. I think the timing cover is slightly off center from the crank.

 

[cdxhizors]

Back at this again this morning. So the seal I'm gonna try has a metal outside ring.. So what's the correct way to install this? I wanna make sure I do it right. My plan is to oil the outside and inside, set it against the timing cover and tap it in with a 38(maybe 36) mm socket. Then oil the snout of the balancer and slide it in. I'm gonna measure the timing cover to the crank in all sides to see if it's off at all.