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I can't believe I actually got it done...
The belt & seals turned out to be the easy part...
But putting the fan belts back on - particularly the alternator, not so much.
Sure enough, the front main seal was perished. The cam seal practically fell out when I removed the rear part of the belt cover. The layshaft seal was also at the end of its life.
It was obvious that someone had been there before (I should hope so, on a motor with a 50k belt with 195k on the clock...), there were clear markings on the cam sprocket and the layshaft sprocket. And the seals had been done, as they were marked "SCANTECH". Got the OEM Elring Sillycone seals from IPD. I pulled the seal plate to change the main seal and the layshaft seal. Somehow, the layshaft bore got scored. I didn't think I got that close with the seal puller, but maybe I did, or it was from an earlier change. Lots of petroleum jelly, and the new seals went in fine. The old gasket came off in one piece.
BTW - what is that wire that gets in the way of taking the plate off? THAT was annoying...
Coated the new seal plate gasket with Permatex 518 & the oil pan gasket, too. I want to be sure the oil stays IN the engine...
Plate went on just fine over the shafts.
The cam seal also changed out just fine.
The tensioner threw me for a bit. Lots of stuff online on how to adjust it, lock it, and remove it, but one has to really dig to find out how to actually change it without putting your eye out, or losing the spring... I finally got it apart, and even managed to get the new one on together. Re-installed it, and made sure it was well seated in the head.
Got it all lined up (again...), installed the belt (only had to do that two or three times), and proceeded with the close-up. Besides the belt and seals, I also replaced the front upper timing belt cover, as the original had holes from the water pump pulley rubbing.
I ran it briefly before hooking the belts up, and everything sounded just fine. Idles normally, no missing or anything. Oh - and no more leaks!
The belts, though... The alternator adjuster was a PITA. First, it wouldn't loosen enough to let me put the belt on. Next, the lower bushing just fell out (What is it with the Swedes and bushings on the alternator?), so working in a very confined space, I finally managed to put it all together.
Then I realized the belt fell onto the wrong sheave on the main pulley...
And THEN I realized the water pump/power steering belt has to go on FIRST!
I was not happy, but that's what you get for taking it apart a week before you put it back together...
But luckily, for some reason, this time, the alternator would adjust enough to let me remove & install the belt again... Did I mention that someone must have lost the original adjuster bolt? They replaced it with one that had a #3 PHILLIPS head! Can't use my 10mm ratcheting box wrench on that one! Grrrr.... So I modified one of my rusty 3/8 drive hex drivers (Rusty due to being left in a leaky toolbox in a leaky trunk...) to take my IKEA #3 Phillips bit, so at least I could use my ratchet handle...
Finally got all that sorted. The fan was even pretty easy to install, once I realized that there wasn't any room for me to remove my ratcheting box wrench once the nuts were tightened...
Overall, a successful day. I really think I should give it an oil change before running it a long distance. We were fairly liberal with the degreaser, and I'm concerned some got into the oil...
But my back and my hamstrings are killing me! I thought Saabs were low to the ground!
Maybe next weekend, I'll tackle changing the oil separator box...
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