Ford Repair: Ford Taurus 2001 oil leak and seal repair, crankshaft pulley, drain coolant
QuestionFirst of all thankyou so much for being there for people like me. My question is this: I have a 2001 ford Taurus 3.0 V6 and it has 90k mi. on it and it is leaking oil like a siv and looks to be comming from the front main seal. Is this a usual "ford" problem for this engine at this amount of miles and more importantly, what is the process for changing this seal and do I have to pull the engine to change it. No doubt it would be easier, but do I HAVE to pull this engine?
AnswerIt isn't a very common problem, but it does happen occasionally. More often, it is the oil pan seal or the timing cover gasket, though. As it is a tight space, you may not know for sure where the oil is coming from until it's apart-- which isn't a big deal because many of the same parts have to come off for any of these repairs. Yes, it is easier to do these jobs with the engine out, however they can be done with the engine in the car. You will win a lot of space by removing the right front wheel to gain access to components on the lower front of the engine. Basically the process is this- disconnect battery, remove serpentine belt, remove alternator and brackets, remove idler/tensioner pulleys, drain coolant, remove front crankshaft pulley (requires a puller available at most parts stores for under $20) and that will give you access to the front seal. Once you get that far, there is a lot of room and it becomes a lot easier to see the engine. If the timing cover gasket is leaking, do all those steps plus remove the bolts holding the timing cover to the engine. Reverse procedure to assemble and it's best to change the oil anytime you open up the engine before starting. If you find the oil pan leaking, none of the above components need to be off, but you will need to remove the exhaust Y-pipe (I can walk you through this if needed, just ask) It's difficult to go step-by-step without sending pictures but I hope this helps. Good luck,
Jason
