For 1990-2009 cars

### Removal Procedure

Caution: Ensure that the vehicle is properly supported and squarely positioned. To help avoid personal injury when a vehicle is on a hoist, provide additional support for the vehicle on the opposite end from which the components are being removed.

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Jack the vehicle, or raise the vehicle on a hoist.
3. Drain the engine oil.
4. Remove the right wheel and splash shield.

Important: Installation of the wood block prior to upper engine torque axis mount removal allows the mount to be easily installed without lifting or jacking the powertrain.

5. Place a 1 in x 1 in x 2 in long block of wood between the torque strut and cradle.
6. Remove the engine accessory drive belt.

Important:

• | The crankshaft vibration damper/pulley bolt head and washer prevents oil leakage from the cavity around the end of crankshaft.

• | Do not pry against the cover.

7. Remove the front crankshaft vibration damper/pulley assembly. Hold the damper with a strap wrench when removing the bolt.

Puller jaw slots are cast into the damper/pulley assembly for removal with a small three-jaw puller, if required.

Important:

• | The accessory drive belt idler pulley must be removed to allow the front cover to be removed and replaced in the vehicle.

• | It is not necessary to remove the power steering pump for access to the bracket attachment bolts. The DOHC (LL0) engine has an additional bracket located under the pump and the attachment bolt can be accessed through an oval hole in the pump's pulley.

8. Remove the power steering pump assembly and position it on the intake manifold.

Important: Cover camshaft area whenever repairs are not

9. Remove the belt tensioner.

Important: Cover the camshaft area whenever repairs are not being performed to prevent foreign debris from entering engine.

10. Remove the cam cover (DOHC [LL0]) engine.
11. Remove the 3 right-hand engine mount to front cover nuts and the 2 engine mount to midrail bracket nuts, allowing the powertrain to rest on the block of wood.

Important:

• | Failure to hold the crankshaft timing sprocket in place will cause timing chain guide damage. The tool also aligns the gerotor during front cover installation. After the front cover assembly is loosened and moved approximately 25.4 mm (1 in.) from the engine, the crankshaft timing gear service tool should be removed.

• | Install the SA9104E with the flat side towards the crankshaft sprocket.

12. Removal of the front cover assembly:

Install theSA91104NE to ensure the front crankshaft timing sprocket is held firmly in place.

Important:

• | Spray the 2 dowel pin holes in the front cover with penetrating oil to facilitate cover removal of the dowel pin.

• | On (DOHC [LL0]) engines, one front cover assembly attachment bolt is located under the torque axis mount flange, above the accessory drive belt idler pulley.

• | After the front cover assembly is loosened and moved approximately 25.4 mm (1 in) from the engine, the SA9104E should be removed.

13. Remove the 4 front oil pan bolts and 14 front cover bolts:

13.1. | Use the SA9123E to cut the oil pan seal away from the front cover.

13.2. | Remove the front cover bolts.

14. Using the front cover pry tangs, remove the front cover from the cylinder block:

14.1. | Remove the 2 oil gallery transfer seals and discard.

| Important:

• | The front cover assembly can be removed from under the hood or through the wheel well.

• | To facilitate front cover installation, install the front cover without RTV applied and position into place. Then remove the cover for RTV application and final installation. This will help prevent RTV distribance on final installation.

14.2. | Place shop towels over the front of engine and the oil pan opening to prevent debris entry.

### Disassembly Procedure

Important:

• | An impact driver and T-30 TORX™ are required to break the oil pump screws loose.

• | The oil pump cover screws are coated with a sealant to prevent oil leakage. New screws must be installed if they are removed.

1. Remove the drive and driven rotors:
2. Remove the cover plate screws.
3. Mark the drive rotor and driven rotor with a felt pen. Remove the drive rotor/ driven rotor.

Notice: Whenever the oil pressure regulator valve is removed, it must be replaced. The puller jaws will damage the valve sealing seat upon removal.

4. Remove the relief valve.
5. Using the SA9103E , pull the valve from its bore with the SA9172G .

### Assembly Procedure

1. Install the relief valve and the oil pump assembly.
2. If the relief valve was removed, replace it with a new one. Coat the valve with engine oil and tap it into the cover bore until it seats using SA9103E and a hammer.

Important: If removed, the oil pump assembly must be packed with petroleum jelly to prime the pump.

3. Install the drive and driven rotors into the pump body with the chamfer toward the front oil seal.

Notice: Make sure the nine holes in the front cover are clean. The oil pump cover screws are coated with a sealant to prevent oil leakage. New screws must be installed.

4. Install the pump body cover with new screws.

Tighten
Tighten the pump body cover to 11 N·m (8 lb ft)

### Installation Procedure

1. If a machined front cover casting or assembly is replaced, the torque axis mount studs must be replaced.

Tighten
Tighten the torque axis mount studs to 10 N·m (89 lb in)

2. Clean the front cover and the cylinder block mating surfaces:

| Notice: If excessive wet or dry RTV and oil builds up in the blind holes, the casting will crack when bolts are installed. Make sure all oil gallery openings and the oil pan are covered with a shop towel to prevent debris entry.

2.1. | RTV is removed from aluminum surfaces using a scraper, plastic or wood, Scotch-Brite® Pads, and disk (3M® Clean' N Strip 2 in D x 1/2 in W x 1/4 in center hole).

| Important: Do not use petroleum cleaners such as mineral spirits, they leave a film onto which RTV will not stick.

2.2. | The front cover cylinder head and block holes must be cleaned with a 3/16 in drill and tap handle. The oil drain back hole must also be free of RTV. The front cover non tapped holes can be cleaned with a 3/8 in drill.

2.3. | After all RTV is removed, clean the surfaces with a chlorinated solvent, such as carburetor spray cleaner, brake cleaner, or alcohol Saturn P/N 21007432, or equivalent.

Important: The oil pump must be packed with petroleum jelly if removed.

3. Install the oil pressure regulator, oil pump and pump cover if removed. Use Saturn P/N 21485277 (Loctite® 242 Threadlocker or equivalent) on the oil pump cover screws.

Tighten
Tighten the oil pump cover-to-front cover to 11 N·m (8 lb ft)

4. If the front seal was removed, use SA9104E to install a new seal.
5. Install new oil pressure and suction seals into their respective cavities in the cylinder block.

Important: Extra RTV is required at the oil pan, cylinder head to block, cylinder head and cam/rocker cover T-joints to ensure gaps are filled. A RTV bead around the top center bolt hole is required.

6. Apply a 4.0 mm (0.157 in) bead, refer to the RTV Section on the front of the oil pan and a 2.0 mm (0.079 in) bead on the front cover as shown. Install the cover immediately. Parts must be assembled within 3 minutes of application or the material must be removed and applied again.

Important: The front cover oil seal drain back hole and passage way must be kept free of RTV.

Important: The SA9104E is used to align the gerotor oil pump during front cover installation.

7. Install the front cover assembly and bolts.
8. Install the 4 front cover oil pan fasteners.

Tighten
Tighten the front cover perimeter bolts to 30 N·m (22 lb ft)

Tighten
Tighten the front cover lower center bolt (Number 14) to 10 N·m (89 lb in)

Tighten
Tighten the oil pan-to-block to 9 N·m (80 lb in)

9. After the front cover is installed, 6-12 squirts of oil can be pumped through the front oil seal drain back hole to ensure it is not plugged.

Notice: Apply a thin film of RTV sealant P/N 21006236 between damper/pulley assembly flange and washer only. The washer and bolt head flange are designed to prevent oil leakage and do not require RTV sealant.

Important: Hold the damper with a strap wrench or use a 3/4 in x 12 in long piece of wood wedged between the damper spoke and rear, lower side of cover when torquing bolt.

10. Install a newSA9104E . Install the vibration damper/pulley assembly and retaining bolt/washer. Never tap on the seal or seal installer with a hammer.

Tighten
Tighten the crankshaft vibration damper/pulley-to-crankshaft to 215 N·m (159 lb ft)

11. Apply RTV across the cylinder head and front cover T-joints.
12. Install a new cam/rocker cover gasket, if required, refer to the RTV section. The gasket can be reused if not damaged.
13. Install the cam/rocker cover.
14. Install the accessory drive belt tensioner.

Tighten
Tighten the belt tensioner-to-block to 30 N·m (22 lb ft)

15. Install power steering pump, refer to the Accessory Drive section).
16. Install the accessory drive belt. Ensure the belt is properly aligned on the pulleys.

Notice: To prevent engine front cover and mount damage, the three front engine mount-to-front cover nuts must be tightened down uniformly.

17. Install the 2 engine mount to midrail bracket nuts first. Next, install the 3 engine mount to engine front cover nuts. Remove the block of wood from under the torque strut after the upper mount assembly is installed.

Tighten

• | Tighten the engine mount-to-front cover nuts to 50 N·m (37 lb ft)

• | Tighten the engine mount-to-midrail bracket nuts to 50 N·m (37 lb ft)

18. Install the splash shield and the wheel.

Tighten
Tighten the wheel nuts to 140 N·m (103 lb ft)

19. Drain the engine oil and change the filter. Install the drain plug.

Tighten
Tighten the oil pan drain plug to 37 N·m (27 lb ft)

20. Install the battery cables, positive cable first.

Tighten
Tighten the battery terminal bolts to 17 N·m (13 lb ft)

21. Fill with new engine oil, API 5W30 Energy Conserving II multigrade viscosity oil.
22. Reset the CHANGE OIL SOON telltale lamp. Refer to Resetting Service Oil Soon Telltale Lamp procedure in this section.
23. Start the engine and check for leaks.
24. Check the engine oil level and fill if necessary.
25. Perform a road test.
26. Check the coolant and oil levels. Verify there are no leaks.