# Crankshaft seal replacement



## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

If the squeal goes away with engine running and dipstick REMOVED, the seal is the noisemaker.
The high crankcase vacuum draws the seal lips so tightly around the hub it will squeal......evidently, Chevrolet did not pack enough grease between the seal lips.

Your repair procedure is correct.

I doubt if this is your oil loss spot though since vacuum is drawn in......also, if the sound is there with the dipstick removed the odds are something belt driven is the culprit.

Clean the engine well and then diagnose leakage.....there is so much wind blowing around the block it will make a leak that originates far away lead you in the wrong direction.

Rob


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## diablo75 (Jun 26, 2019)

Robby said:


> If the squeal goes away with engine running and dipstick REMOVED, the seal is the noisemaker.


I believe I've done this and mistook the going-away of the sound to be the VVT solinoid gaskets, which were leaking oil and I replaced them a couple of weeks ago. No leak from them since. But that does leave the camshaft seal. It's funny because I accidentally ordered two of them when I wanted VVT gaskets because I didn't realize they were different things and sent them back to exchange for the right thing. I should have just kept them...


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## Akun Master (Jun 6, 2020)

Robby said:


> If the squeal goes away with engine running and dipstick REMOVED, the seal is the noisemaker.


hi, i dont know much about mechanics and stuff, i have a Sonic Rs '14 with the exact symptoms you are talking about, will i just need to remplace the crankshaft seal or do i need to do something else? i mean is the crankshaft seal the real problem or is it the problem of something else really happening, like the pvc issue these cars have? and if so , will i need to take care of both the seal and the pcv ?


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## diablo75 (Jun 26, 2019)

Akun Master said:


> hi, i dont know much about mechanics and stuff, i have a Sonic Rs '14 with the exact symptoms you are talking about, will i just need to remplace the crankshaft seal or do i need to do something else? i mean is the crankshaft seal the real problem or is it the problem of something else really happening, like the pvc issue these cars have? and if so , will i need to take care of both the seal and the pcv ?


It's just the seal. What happens, or at least what happened in my case, is when the PCV fails it doesn't allow blow-by vapors that escape past the piston rings into the crankcase to escape and instead the crankcase builds up pressure, which escapes through other ways like valve cover gasket, VVT gasket, oil pan gasket and maybe even a little past the crankshaft seal. But the other thing that happens is, the crankshaft seal gets pressed into the crankshaft harder than it's supposed to for long periods of time and that increase of friction causes extra wear and weakens the seal, until it gets to a point where you'll hear it whistle, kind of like the neck of a balloon does when you stretch it and let air escape, while the crankcase is in a vacuum state (which it is while you're idle).

I replaced my seal and made a video about it (on my Cruze). I would imagine the procedure for you would be similar:


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