Rear main Follow up replacement and repair,,

[Kim K Kaiser]

Well, got it all together,, Jason, i was looking in the wrong chapter in the manual on the starter,, got that figured out.  everything hooked back up

Got it put back together, started up, and oil light turned off.. putting a hole in the gasket that the oil sump filter really helped out on that..

I only ran it for ab out 15 minutes. pulled out of my friends garage, and rode down the street,,

i noticed a knock or something tha wasnt there to start with,  I think its a leak at that driver side exhaust connection.  My reason for that is, when i pulled off the exhaust, the nut didnt come off, the hole screw came out of the block,, the nut was pretty much heat soldered on bolt,  So i dont think i was able to put the 33 pounds of torque on the connection as i was afraid of stripping out the threads on the block,,   so i got it as tight as i felt comfortable cranking down on it, but it didn't hit the 33 lbs.  

Can i get replacement screws at the part store for that??

What did i learn from all this,, hmmm,, really nice to have full car lift.  

lots to look at inside the engine, but since i didnt have to touch anything there, no problems.  

the guy at arizona parts in arizona, (the guy there was quite helpful)   told me to just soak the gasket until ready, i didn't know why, but did it for the second installation of the upper seal.. it went in very nicely with no friction until the last say 3/4 inch.  i found if i pushed the tail in, toward the shaft and pushed it would go on in.  No rubber came off the end as it did on the first installation so i assume it was flush on all edges and no problems.. 

i found out that to turn the crankshaft with plugs out,, put the big torque bar on the nut on the alternator, squeeze the belt, and turn,, crank shaft turnedmoved with no problem,, so I learned a new trick there...

i cant  say this was not easy, maybe due to my lack of experience, and fear of breaking something,, but, after about 2 weeks, i got it in.. the lift really made it easier,,

i havent noticed a leak yet, but it was a very short drive and warm up..will see tomorrow how it comes out.

It cost me three rear main seals.. first one i ruined, second one fit, and the third one was a back up if the second one went bad.  so thats about 120.   (40 a piece for best gaskets from Arizona vintage parts..

oil pan gaskets,, first one i had to remove because of my oil sump mistake and had to do again,, 22.0 a piece x 2   (44.00)

exhaust gaskets  i think the was about 20,0..   

brake cleaner, assembly grease, miscellaneous stuff about 50.00, so the out of pocket parts cost was probably 230 to 250.00.

 shop wanted 550 in labor,, i know if i used there labor rate, it was a 3000.00  labor repair,, but given the learning, the advice from everyone, i came out way better,, i will know for sure how it held tomorrow.  at least i know how to do it if i have to do it again,, God forbid...

again, thanks for all the help and patience...

[Kim K Kaiser]

Right stuff 90 min permatex..  while i cnt show it here. Its going behind the vertcle plate as well.  But seems to originste tight here 

[Tony and Ginny 429]

I think it is almost impossible to know if the oil leak is coming from the rear of the pan gasket or the rear main engine seal as the oil in that location could be coming from either of those locations and  would look the same to someone watching the oil leaking at the lower back of the engine area 

The odds of the oil pan leaking SB slim to none with a Permatex sealer on both sides of the oil pan gasket as I see it 

We have not addressed the rear cam seal  possibly leaking but have no idea how to observe that area unless the engine WB out of the car 

The valve covers  will leak down the back of the engine if they are not sealed correctly 

The  rear cam seal would be subject to little oil  volume compared to the crank which is submerged in oil 

So I am back to the rear main engine seal causing  the  leak problem and not at all sure why the seal is failing as the installation procedure does seem to be done correctly by Kim the second time around 

This has been one of the more difficult repairs to be finding a solution  for that has been posted on this site and something both Kim and I would surely like to know a solution for 

Enjoy 

[Kim K Kaiser]

Well i dnt kno wat to do nxt.  I a. Going to chg the pan gasket, ine more time after exhayst gets fixed.  I had some access issues that may hv led to bad installation of gasket an pan.  

If there is no way to disecern between pan and rear seal leak,  wat else is there to do.

I feel pretty confident that the shop i took it too did it properly,  he comes well recommeded,

If after that,  im just gonna kerp a 5 quart of oil bottle in car and carry on.    

N

[Jason Edge]

Kim, my gut feeling is still with the oil pan rear pan gasket. If I have understood everything correctly the additional oil leaking has been after you removed the oil pan and replaced the seal. It is hard to imagine a new seal would cause more leaking, but could see a rear pan gasket leaking if the gasket is not seated properly. You have done the best you can and would get the shop to install the oil pan and gasket. They have probably removed and installed dozens and have a lift. They should be able to properly install the oil pan, leave inspection cover off, drive it up on the lift and see where leak is coming from. If they cannot do this I would definitely look for another shop.

[Kim K Kaiser]

I will look into shop here n ms.  Guve him all details of past efforts, and cut him loose on pan.  Really does make a difference to get it on a lift ,   

[Kim K Kaiser]

I did more rootin under car defiiteley dripping strait out of the opening around the center alignment nipple.  May hv over smeared the rtv or left a chanell in there.

Oil loss.    60 miles =  1/2 qurat low

[Kim K Kaiser]

just got giggles, i cleaned off the guide nipple, and packed some silicone on that piece and the hole that it comes out of today,, its that 90 minute stuff, so gave it couple hours ro so to dry,   i was hopeful maybe it would block off the oil trail and that it was small and simple enough to go back up in to the pan, but not really thinking it would, but felt it was worth a try,

well, i did it and it stopped the leak from coming out of and down the nipple, it just pushed it back were it is coming out around the seal were the pan meets the bottom of the big round connection on the rear of the pan.. 

i dont know if that is good or bad or is helpful info to anyone, but thats what happened,  it just moved it back some,,still going to shop in next couple weeks.

[Russ Austin]

How much oil are you putting in the car?  Max is 5 quarts, regardless of the dip stick marks.

[Kim K Kaiser]

4.5 qt. Pint of zinc additive.

[Tony and Ginny 429]

Keeping the correct balance between oil and zinc additive in the engine could be a problem loosing that much oil

i do think you were using Amsoil which can get expensive and that will limit you ability to reasonable be using the car until the issue is resolved and oil consumption reduced 

Is the oil pan due for another replacement as the next step ? 

Enjoy