BiGEZ

iTrader: (24)

No, you do not have to remove the cam gear pulleys to get the timing tube off but it does make it easier.
Just take a breather, it is not as hard as it sounds. When I completed mine I was like "that is it??"
The key is to have the crank at 50 degrees BTDC, which is the key way pin at the 12 O'clock position.

Get the gray FIPG works best for oils.

Ha, most places in Ga sell peach cobbler not too much peach pies.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

Your making me think of when i did this job and basically my nerves were on edge. I covered all the questions your asking in my thread with lots of pics. Good thing BiGEZ is here to hold your hand since I can only check in once or twice a day. I have more pics with the cams out I just have to find them.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

Make sure you clean out the oil control valve filter while you have the bearing cap off. Heres my other thread.
​​​​​​https://us.lexusownersclub.com/forum...98-with-vvt-i/

fatalbert1

I got the passenger side intake cam off OK. You should take the camshaft timing pulley off I discovered since you can't get the main bearing cap off without doing so easily.

It was not this cam seal that was leaking, but that's a mute point now.

The manual says to put the cam in a vice to remove the seal cap and the set bolt to remove the timing tube. That is where I am right now. It is implied that it is OK to crank on the seal bolt and set bolt while the cam is in the vice but I thought others have used a pin wrench to hold the timing tube from turning while removing the bolts.

My concern is that the timing tube has about 25 degrees movement back and fort and to remove the bolts you would need to turn the timing tube all the way to the stop position and then reef on the bolts. I am concerned this might break something internal to the timing tube. The seal bolt is only 11 ft lbs but the set bolt is 58 lbs. Am I working too much about this. I have learned from experience that brute force can be your enemy.

I did pul the filter out and it is very clean.

fatalbert1

I forged ahead this morning and followed the manual and removed the seal plugs and bolt. Replaced the seal and installing the cam. I only loosened the exhaust cam bearings alot per suggestion on this forum and did not remove the exhaust cam. I am guessing it might take a couple of times to get the dots lined up, but I think I am past the worst of it. Thanks to all that took the time to respond to questions I have had. I appreciate it and hope I can return the favor in the future to someone else.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

Glad to see your getting it done.

dveneman

Sorry to be late here, but I did this recently and posted some photos to help others. I admit that the thread's title doesn't identify camshaft seal replacement very well.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...l-refresh.html

fatalbert1

Some of the questions I had would have been answered by your photos. I have every thing back together now except the radiator and valve covers. I am waiting for new valve cover and spark plug seals to arrived. Everything looks good and the timing marks are all correct.

The hardest part was figuring out some of the steps during removal that make you worry about breaking something. I was not sure where the leak was coming from but I think it was the crankshaft seal. If I would have removed the cam pulleys before launching into this I would have been able to see that they were not leaking and I would have skipped doing the cam seals. There is just alot of parts that have to come ofc to get to the cams. I did not remove the exhaust cams and only loosened the bearing caps of the exhaust cam to lift out in intake cam.

I got a handfull of sandwich bags and everytime I removed something I put the bolts/ screws in a bag, labled what was in it and taped it to the part that was removed. This really helped putting it all back together.

I think my post on here pulled together input from alot of people with their links to make it much easier for the next brave soul to try this.

Many thanks to everyone on this great forum. I am truly amazed at the quality of the engineering and parts on these great cars.
Al