Replacing front crankshaft seal?

[Mbliss]

Not sure if I should undertake this job. I've seen some posts on doing this job, including VIDA, but it's not clear to me how one can remove and replace the timing gear pulley and keep everything in sync. VIDA says to use the counterhold while removing the "vibration damper," and then the "timing gear pulley." My concern is putting in the new oil seal and then the timing gear pulley without moving the crankshaft: it would seem that there would be no way to recover the proper timing from any slight movement of the crankshaft while doing this operation. Amy I just being too paranoid?

[Astro14]

Yep - You are being too paranoid. The timing gear fits on the crankshaft, and there is a keyway internal to the teeth of the timing gear that makes it fit only one, precise, way. It will not go back on unless you have it perfectly lined up. That crankshaft won't move, either. Even if it does move, you align the marks just like you do when replacing a timing belt.

[FirstVolvo]

Not sure if I should undertake this job. I've seen some posts on doing this job, including VIDA, but it's not clear to me how one can remove and replace the timing gear pulley and keep everything in sync. VIDA says to use the counterhold while removing the "vibration damper," and then the "timing gear pulley." My concern is putting in the new oil seal and then the timing gear pulley without moving the crankshaft: it would seem that there would be no way to recover the proper timing from any slight movement of the crankshaft while doing this operation. Amy I just being too paranoid?

One thing I did when removing the crank timing gear pulley, which requires a puller, is to leave the timing belt in place because when first using the puller there's a decent amount of wrench force require to remove the pulley and if the puller counter hold (cresent wrench in my case) slips the crank will turn. Leaving the belt on was just a safety precaution if the crank turned while using the puller and once the pulley starts to pull off the crank there's much less force required to turn the puller and less chance of the crank turning.

[vtl]

Use a sacrificial dime to add some slip and prevent crank from turning

[Mbliss]

Great news, thank you all. VIDA seems to say as much, but much less clearly. I admit I am a "worst case scenario" sort of person ;-)