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...

[0i3i4cmdhjpgy]

care to elaborate on the oil sump filter gasket that you had to put a hole in? Going to be doing a similar overhaul. Any recommendations will help!

[Kim K Kaiser]

I had a engine gasket felpro kit,  hadcall the gaskets you needed to redo the front end.  Just laid the end of the connection on one of the gaskets that was wide enough to cover the connectingvpart, drew itvoff and cut w razor blade to fit

[Kim K Kaiser]

Yes,  only reason i took it off was i saw a bunch of gunk  in the sump filter,  so i took the arm off., found it had a gasket.  I figured, since it was a blue colored one, same as ones in the oil pump commection and the oil filter arm, it would be ok to use there as both exposed to oil

[Kim K Kaiser]

Yes,  i will keep you informed.  Thanks tonall for encouragement

[Kim K Kaiser]

Well, yesterday i tok car for ride. No prblem no leak. . Today, took out for about 20 mlies.  Pulled n on ramps. Profuse leak.  Very very disappointing. Not sure were to go nxt.  

[Jason Edge]

Where is it leaking?  From the comment I wouldn't know if it were a rear seal, oil pan gasket, etc?

[Kim K Kaiser]

• Leaking out of the weep hole and thecsides of the cover plate.  Out the fly wheel cover.  There is none comeing down the face of the coverplate,   seems the oil pan seal is fine

[Jason Edge]

For all it's worth it is hard to see how it would just pour oil out of the seal unless it was torn during installation, but then would expect it ti leak out of the gate. This rear seal is  basically just a rubber seal wedged up to a turning metal cylinder. I would  clean, crank the engine and get under with a good light to confirm it is out of the rear seal area.  Since it just suddenly started leaking I am wonder if it might be the rear oil pan gasket.

[Kim K Kaiser]

Frankly, i was surprised by what i saw today.  Yesterday, i took it out for about 10 miles.. just a casual ride.. Before i took the car out today, i look underneath, and nothing had slowly seeped out, it was clean and dry,

Todays ride was longer.  I put it on the ramps and oil was everywhere,, primarily out of the hole at bottom of case,, along the sides in those gaps between the flywheel case,  

thinking it was he oil pan seal possibly, i got out my spot light and i could not see anything coming out of the rear pan seal or from any of the pan bolts,  the pan was dry.  

i took great care not to pressure the the upper seal in , it wen it quite smoothly, no rubber or shavings came out so I thought it was in good.  Using the two videos that were posted. i followed there procedure closely, except that one uses the aerobic sealant the other guys used what looked like a glue out of a plumbers can, 

i just dont know how or why it would e fine for one ride, and next ride be a breakdown.  outside of the sheet happens with old car excuse,,

guess i will at very least, pull off the flywheel cover and see if oil is spewed all back in there...and check the pan connections again.. after that, i guess its back into the pan again.. like i said, veryfrustarating and disappointing, a lot of hours,, 

[Kim K Kaiser]

well,  you can see the ends of the seal only once in.. and both ends seemed to be fitting flush and tight to the groove and the cut out for the groove..

i used motor oil,, to let it sit in

i guess it could have as far as movement.  i dont know,  when you push it in, lot of the remaining oil on the seal sort of squeezes out, especially in the groove.

i used an anerobic  sealer like in the video,, the red looking stuff.. 

i will just look at the back behind the flywheel plate tomorrow or tuesday and see about the oil overrun in there.. I will have more to say once i look at that i guess, maybe not, but that the first place I'm gonna look before i have to go tearing into things again,, 

[David Thomas]

Hello Kim, have you thoroughly inspected for leaks around the valve covers, oil pressure switch rear oil galley plugs valley pan and heads? Any top side leak could mimic the rear main leaking. Also there is a freeze type plug sealing the rear  cam bearing just above the main bearing.  If it's leaking that would look like the main was leaking. I have found the right head gasket to leak from the top rear corner where the oil travels to the rocker assembly. HTH 

[Kim K Kaiser]

Thanks David for the addl spots, i know for sure its not the valve covers,, i have checked that 

i can say that the car leaks while driving, not necessarily just at rest,, when i got out of the car and looked from the drive,, the oil was already spread out..