A failing crankshaft seal allows oil to leak from the engine. A low level of oil can cause damage to vital engine components, in addition to the extra cost of constantly having to add engine oil to maintain an appropriate level. Replacing the seal on a 1998 Saturn SL2 can be done by most backyard mechanics with some automotive repair knowledge. The repair generally takes about two hours, depending on the difficulty encountered when removing some of the engine parts.
Lift the front of the vehicle with an automotive jack and secure it with jack stands.
Drain the engine oil. Place a drain container under the oil pan. Turn the drain valve counterclockwise with a wrench until oil drains from the pan into the container. When fluid has finished draining, turn the valve clockwise to tighten it.
Remove the passenger side wheel. Remove the lug nuts with a socket wrench and pull the wheel off of the wheel cylinder studs.
Remove the inner fender splash shield. Pull up the center of the plastic fasteners with wire cutters to loosen the fasteners and remove them. Remove the other fasteners with a screwdriver. Pull the splash shield from the fender.
Remove the vibration damper retaining bolt on the end of the crankshaft. Place a large screwdriver through the crankshaft pulley and wedge the end under a crease in the engine block to stop the pulley from rotating. With the screwdriver in place, remove the vibration damper bolt with a socket wrench.
Attach a two-jaw puller to the crankshaft and engine block to remove the crankshaft pulley and the pulley washer.
Pry out the crankshaft seal with a screwdriver, making sure not to scratch the crankshaft or crankshaft bore.
Clean the bore in the housing, removing any debris or oil with a towel.
Apply a thin coat of multi-purpose grease to the new crankshaft seal.
Install the new crankshaft seal. Drive the new seal into place using a socket slightly smaller than the diameter of the crankshaft seal. Place the seal into the bore, place the socket onto the seal and gently tap the seal into the bore with a hammer.
Install the crankshaft pulley and the pulley washer. Place the crankshaft pulley and pulley washer on the crankshaft, applying a small amount of RTV sealant between the washer and the pulley. Place a large screwdriver through the crankshaft pulley and wedge the end under a crease in the engine block to stop the pulley from rotating. Install the vibration damper bolt with a torque wrench, tightening it to 159 ft.-lbs.
Replace the inner fender splash shield. Place the splash shield against the inner fender and replace the plastic fasteners, inserting the fasteners into the mounting holes and pushing down on the center of the fasteners to engage them. Replace the other fasteners with a screwdriver.
Replace the passenger side wheel. Remount the wheel onto the wheel cylinder studs and attach the lug nuts. Tighten them to 100 ft.-lbs. with a torque wrench.
Remove the jack stands and lower the vehicle with the jack.
Add oil to the engine, using the dipstick to check the correct level.
