Do any of the veteran members remember...

[Jarrett]

I haven't seen one person make mention of balance shaft seal retainers on here in a long time. I remember it used to be a huge deal on here to remind anyone who had already past 100K miles to make sure their timing job included one. There were posts all over the place explaining the catastrophic failures due to oil loss that would occur if that seal came out. I guess as time went on these Accords had them done and it's less of an issue to have to tell people anymore. I just thought of this because I am rebuilding my engine with a donor I got from SmokinSpeeds on here and it didn't have one.

In case anyone is wondering, the factory balance shaft seal does not have a device that keeps it in place. After age they were prone to start walking and a few popped out. Oil would instantly gush out and if you didn't quickly shut off the car then the lack of oil would do it for you. Honda started making these retainer plates that used two bolts to partially cover the seal. It was very strongly recommended you perform this at your next timing job. And everyone stressed that if you didn't know if it was there or not then your next timing job was tomorrow.

[dj_ender]

I haven't seen one person make mention of balance shaft seal retainers on here in a long time. I remember it used to be a huge deal on here to remind anyone who had already past 100K miles to make sure their timing job included one. There were posts all over the place explaining the catastrophic failures due to oil loss that would occur if that seal came out. I guess as time went on these Accords had them done and it's less of an issue to have to tell people anymore. I just thought of this because I am rebuilding my engine with a donor I got from SmokinSpeeds on here and it didn't have one.

In case anyone is wondering, the factory balance shaft seal does not have a device that keeps it in place. After age they were prone to start walking and a few popped out. Oil would instantly gush out and if you didn't quickly shut off the car then the lack of oil would do it for you. Honda started making these retainer plates that used two bolts to partially cover the seal. It was very strongly recommended you perform this at your next timing job. And everyone stressed that if you didn't know if it was there or not then your next timing job was tomorrow.

The block that I just used in my A6 build/swap did not have the retainer, but my old A1did, just swapped it over.

[GeoffM]

Maybe because they're aren't that many threads regarding timing belts?

[C91BLX7]

I remember.

But they don't make the car faster or lower so most people don't care.

[MikeW]

I remember.

But they don't make the car faster or lower so most people don't care.

#TheSickestTruth

[Jarrett]

In a purely philosophical sense it does have some measureable weight and therefore would act upon the springs moreso than the absence of one. So technically it does lower the car.

If that doesn't work then I can start selling "JDM balance shaft seal retainers". I'll just tint them yellow or something.

[Accrdwgnguy]

Oh you don't need to perform a timing belt job to install a retainer, they just slip into place without removing the timing cover. I believe the part comes with instructions on how to perform this procedure.

[Night Wolf]

^^^ lol yup.

OP, thanks for the reminder though. gotta recommend it at work when old F/H cars come in.

[Jarrett]

Oh you don't need to perform a timing belt job to install a retainer, they just slip into place without removing the timing cover. I believe the part comes with instructions on how to perform this procedure.

You definitely have to remove the lower timing cover. It installs using two of the oil pump housing bolts closets to the front balance shaft seal.

[bruno8747]

You definitely have to remove the lower timing cover. It installs using two of the oil pump housing bolts closets to the front balance shaft seal.

There were 2 designs, The plate with the 2 holes are the first design, The second design uses only 1 bolt to hold it in place, And that bolt is on the outside of the timing cover.

[Jarrett]

Didn't know that. Did the second design do anything to help with timing cover flex? I went to the junkyard today to get a new one and looked at 17 different cars before I found one that just had a little groove. That quality of this car is annoying.

[dj_ender]

Didn't know that. Did the second design do anything to help with timing cover flex? I went to the junkyard today to get a new one and looked at 17 different cars before I found one that just had a little groove. That quality of this car is annoying.

I'm working on a CD5 right now and it has one of the one bolt retainers, I'll snap a pic tomorrow.

[Ralphie]

Awww memories......this was the first thread I subscribed to.

http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=16228

[dj_ender]

Here's that pic, doesn't look like it would do as good of a job holding compared to the 2 bolt version.

[foamypirate]

It really doesn't take a whole lot of "holding" to keep a seal from moving...