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Simple method (paint can opener) to remove crankshaft and camshaft oil seals
By searching the interwebs, I learned this nifty trick to remove the crankshaft or camshaft oil seals on my Toyota this week. However, the method described below should also work on almost any car engine.
Tool required:
Paint can opener
Price:
Free at Home Depot
Additional tools possibly required:
Lever and fulcrum (e.g., pry bar and block of wood)
Method:
1. Using a razor blade, cut a 1-cm or smaller slit into the soft inner lip of the oil seal. Be careful not to touch the crankshaft or camshaft with the razor blade to avoid scoring a groove that could result in an oil leak. It's not too difficult to avoid this issue as the soft inner lip of the oil seal is very easy to cut.
2. With the length of the opener perpendicular to the crankshaft or camshaft, insert the bent tip of the opener into the slit you made in the oil seal. Rotate the opener to a position where it is close to parallel to the crankshaft or camshaft (see pics below).
3. Now you can either pull the oil seal out by hand or, for tight seals, use a lever and fulcrum.
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Below are some pictures I took that may help you see how this method works.
Opener inserted into slit cut into crank seal and then rotated parallel to crankshaft:
Oil seal was easily pulled out by hand:
New oil seal installed flush with exterior of oil pump:
Here the opener was similarly inserted into a slit cut in the cam seal:
This oil seal was in very tight, so I could not remove it by pulling the opener with my hand. However, the power of the lever and fulcrum popped it right out:
Last edited by Former User; 04-23-2015 at 02:29 PM.
Re: Simple method (paint can opener) to remove crankshaft and camshaft oil seals
Thanks Ron, seeing the can opener reminded me of the tool I saw a mechanic use to roll a crank bearing out. The tool used was provided by a bearing manufacturer.
Realized if I sharpen the edge of the opener, the curve will be perfect and very similiar to the tool provided to roll the bearing half up from the backside of the bearing.
04-23-2015, 12:24 PM
Simple method (paint can opener) to remove crankshaft and camshaft oil seals
