https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9b472e1d7.jpegHere goes. Let’s see if I can avoid fucking anything up too bad. :rofl:

Oh, you just made it so much worse.

edit: the crank will need to be addressed. you can try knocking down the high spots with a file / sandpaper wrapped around a popsicle stick. The surface needs to be smooth, or else the seal will leak and degrade the timing belt in short order (I messed up a crank seal once, knew it was slinging oil, and it lasted 5 weeks before it stripped the teeth on the belt on a downshift.) If you can't get it sufficiently smooth, there's a part called a redi-sleeve that slides over the bearing/seal surface.

If you've got everything off the head, there some flat spots you can use to pry the head up at the corner(s) - once you free the sticktion, it should be easier to pull off. There are two(?) alignment dowels that position the head directly where it should be (plus the headgasket material itself) that's fighting you.

Redi-sleeves are mainly used where you've got a groove worn into the spot where the seal contacts the spinning bit, making a ring that doesn't seal well. Sometimes you can hack it by not seating your seal all the way down (moving the contact point forward).

Basically - it depends on where the seal sits. I'd go ahead and try it (assuming you can reasonably knock the high spots, low spots aren't in the sealing area), and leave the upper timing cover off for a few weeks to see if the timing belt is getting oily. In my case, I knew it was getting oily - but I was 6 weeks away from getting my other car on the road and knew I was on borrowed time from the oil degrading the belt. As a result I no longer do a crank seal unless I know it's leaking - if it's dry, I let it be.

And in the future - if you're can't get a seal out without marring a surface - marr the non-spinning surface, a dab of RTV will prevent it from leaking.

Soooo, the thin about redi sleeves is you need space to push them on and then peel off the ring that was used to push them on. There is not going to be enough space with the oil pump.on the car as far as I know. I couldn't get enough space to do one for the rear main seal.

You may be able to just pull the oil pump and get space, but I think that means pulling the pan? You are basically looking at engine out.

OP,

After a similar gouge on the rear transmission shaft, I had success sealing it with JB Weld. I knocked down the high spots using small files, filled in the low spots with JB Weld and then finely sanded that down with emery cloth. If you can't get a Redi Sleeve in there without pulling the engine, you can probably accomplish this with it still in the car.

Disclaimer: The crank will get much warmer than the rear trans seal area, so your results may vary.

Fair point - full disclaimer, I've never had to use a redi-sleeve but knew it was an option. Hopefully filing back the gouges works.

At least you have an excuse to fix the crank now?

well that escalated real quick, from a blown head gasket to knocking engine within a week. nuts.

watch "the car passion channel" on youtube, he has excellent videos on engine disassembly and assembly.
i've used those videos during my engine build. and it was very useful to see everything taken apart before i dove into my own engine.

good luck. and if you are planning on boost, add stronger rods while the engine is apart.

yea greg seems to know what hes doing. I used his water pump and timing belt video and I've watched a bunch of his other ones.

This thread escalated very fast...
its like the embodiment of the paranoia and anxiety i felt when i first started working on cars myself.