How to Replace the Camshaft Oil Seal on a Chevrolet Cruze?
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The method for replacing the Camshaft oil seal on a Chevrolet Cruze is as follows: 1. First, rotate the crankshaft pulley to the position of the first cylinder. There is a small dot on the crankshaft pulley that should align with the longest protruding strip on the front oil seal housing. Maintain this position, then install the rear crankshaft oil seal. Note that there is a small dot on the rear crankshaft oil seal housing that should align with an empty point on the pulley when installing it onto the crankshaft. 2. The crankshaft seal is located inside the crankshaft pulley, and the rear crankshaft oil seal is situated at the flywheel inside the connection between the engine and the transmission. 3. After assembling the crankshaft into the cylinder block, install the main bearing cap. Before installing the rear main bearing cap, apply sealant to the rear part of the mating surface, then tighten according to the specified torque. The tightening torque for the main bearing cap bolts must be followed. 4. After assembling the crankshaft, when installing the rear crankshaft oil seal, use a specialized tool—the crankshaft thick oil seal press tool—to press the rear oil seal from the rear end of the crankshaft. 5. During the pressing process of the oil seal, ensure that the oil seal remains level at all times.
Last time I spent half a day replacing the camshaft oil seal on my Cruze 1.6L. First, I had to remove the engine cover, unplug the ignition coil connectors, and use a 10mm socket to take off the valve rocker cover screws. Here's the key point—those 10mm bolts around the timing chain cover are particularly tricky to access, requiring an extension bar to loosen them gradually. Before removing the cover, be sure to mark the positions of the crankshaft and camshaft chains with a marker! The most critical part of replacing the oil seal is using a dedicated seal removal hook—I didn't have the right tool at first and tried prying it out, which ended up scratching the shaft neck and making the oil leak worse. After applying engine oil to the new seal, gently tap it in with a socket until the edges are flush with the cylinder head. Finally, apply sealant evenly like squeezing toothpaste—too thick, and it might get pushed into the oil passages. When reassembling, make sure the timing marks are aligned, or the engine will shake like a tractor.
My 2013 Cruze is leaking oil so badly that the engine bay is covered in sludge, all due to the rear camshaft oil seal issue. The repair shop lifted the car, removed the right front wheel, and worked through the wheel arch. They said they needed to remove the half-shaft and engine mount to make space to access the timing chain cover. The most troublesome part was removing the chain tensioner, which required using a hex key to hold the lock pin—this thing has tremendous spring force, and inexperience can lead to misalignment. They used a torque wrench throughout the oil seal replacement, tightening the screws in three stages, and also installed a brand-new gasket. During the test drive, the mechanic deliberately revved the engine to 3,000 RPM to check for leaks. I got startled by a burning smell nearby, but it was just the high-temperature curing of the applied sealant.
To replace the Cruze camshaft oil seal, prepare an E18 socket and timing tool kit. Procedure: Disconnect the battery - Remove the valve cover - Align timing marks - Loosen the tensioner - Remove the camshaft sprocket - Extract the old seal. Note the front shaft seal is inside the timing cover, while the rear shaft is near the firewall. Freeze new seals for 30 minutes before installation for easier fitting, and use gray high-temperature sealant. Torque is critical: Timing cover bolts at 8 Nm, sprocket bolts at 25 Nm plus 70-degree turn. DIYers should keep adhesive remover handy - OEM sealant hardens like concrete.
