So maybe Im just being to nice to the front case and not prying on it hard enough, but all the how to vids I have found of 4g63 front case removals just showed it popping off fairly easily ( of course). I have the engine out, I already had the pan off so its not a matter of rtv on the bottom. I do have the pan back on but that shouldnt be an issue. All the bolts are off, I dont have that castle nut thats over the oil pump off but on other vids they did it without taking that off. My issue is that the case is slid out and I can wiggle it about 2-3mm off of the block but it seems to get caught up on balance shaft area part.

A little info on why Im doing this. I am tearing down my engine cause of a headgasket failure and somehow stuff got hot enough where my oil got really burnt and horribly nasty smelling. Balance shaft belt was ok, all timing seemed ok when I initially was tearing it down.



Is it nevessary to remove that castle nut or am I missing something here? All this stuff is getting replaced and engine rebuilt, but I am tearing it down in hopes I can gather more info into my mysterious engine failure I had.

Thanks.




here are some pics:

 

I take it this is a stock motor that still has the balance shafts installed? It could be you just need to pull a little harder, but behind that castle nut is a bolt that attaches the oil pump driven gear to the balance shaft. Removing the castle nut, and removing the bolt that attaches the gear to the balance shaft may make it easier to remove the front cover. I'm pretty sure I've removed the front cover with that balance shaft still attached, but I honestly don't remember.

 

yeah man your ready to pull it off unless u want to do what nater said which may make it a little easier but not a big deal.... the balance shafts like to get caught in the bearings so try to pull it off as square as possible maybe two pry bars on either side and walk it off but your not missing anything

 

try turning balance shafts 90%. the groves might be getting caught on block. other than than put a little more muscle behind it. g/l

 

I'm with everyone else, I'd guarantee it's the b-shafts giving you trouble. If pulling harder doesn't solve it I'd definitely try rotating them as per the above suggestion.

 

Leave the balance shaft alone. You need to pull the pan and disconnect the oil pickup from the oil pump.

 

That is a good point. I assumed the pickup tube had already been removed since he had the oil pan off at one point.

 

ah yes lol good call i hadnt realized he put the pan back on thats your issue take the pick up tube off should be 2 12mm bolts? (maybe 10's)

 

I had the pan off and I remember taking off the pickup tube. I had to put the pan back on a while ago and I may have put the pickup tube back on, so ya I need to check to make sure I did take it off. Im just gonna throw this thing on an engine stand and make my life a little easier. Thanks everyone for the help.

 

lol that sounds like it will simplify things... good luck

 

ya this is just to satisfy my curiosity since my engine failure was rather bizarre. i have a pallet ready and going to be sending this block out as a core to MAP for their 2.3 setup anyhow. just thought id tear into more and see what i would find. might do the b/s delete but still on the fence on that one.

 

ah i see lol i recently had the exact same issue freak failure at 32k on my evo 8 however i went with the 2.4l route because in the long run its a little cheaper (sourced a 4g64 block for cheap and sold my 63 block for about twice what i paid for the 64) food for thought if you wanna consider that route pm me for the breakdown and details!

 

Ya I thought about a 2.4. everything I have read about headgasket issues has deterred me though. I will probably do a LR 2.1 if my block ends up not useable. I seriously doubt I damaged the block though.


oh ya, so I found my pickup tube and bolts stored away in a box. i dont want to mark up the block prying on this thing so im jyst gonna wait until i get this on an engine stand so i czn flip it over and take the pan off to see whats going on.

 

Yeah 2.4s have some headgasket issues but as long as ur blocks decked and heads surfaced w head studs u should be good.. LRs the way to go!

Good luck with the front case man

 

you probably already figured this out,but you need to remove the oil pan...the portion of the pump where the pickup tube attaches sits below the oil pan rail if that makes sense..