Oil Leak!!! Rear Main Seal, flywheel bolts, or rear plug....? You be the judge.
10-22-2007, 09:16 AM
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Oil Leak!!! Rear Main Seal, flywheel bolts, or rear plug....? You be the judge. I've had a leak coming from what seemed to be the rear main seal for some time. I've checked all the obvious stuff, took off the intake manifold and checked the back of the block, everything is dry up top. Its a few drops overnight, but its getting worse, and its sludgy, black oil, and my dipstick shows clean Mobil 1. So I decided to get in there in see whats happening.
Under bell housing, yes that is oil burnt onto the headers.
Removed bottom bell housing cover, the inside of the bell housing is caked with oil and grime. That's supposed to be bone dry in there.
So after getting the rear cradle out, I pull the drive train. As soon as I remove the input shaft from the pilot bushing, (yes bushing, I'm not running a pilot bearing.) Oil drops down the flywheel onto the floor, probably a few ounces. So I would think that would discount the idea of the rear main seal. The oil is leaking from the clutch side of the flywheel not the crankside.....right?
In the air
A look inside
That is how it looks now. Just wanted to see what you guys thought. I'll know more when I get the clutch and flywheel out.
Later,
Max
Under bell housing, yes that is oil burnt onto the headers.
Removed bottom bell housing cover, the inside of the bell housing is caked with oil and grime. That's supposed to be bone dry in there.
So after getting the rear cradle out, I pull the drive train. As soon as I remove the input shaft from the pilot bushing, (yes bushing, I'm not running a pilot bearing.) Oil drops down the flywheel onto the floor, probably a few ounces. So I would think that would discount the idea of the rear main seal. The oil is leaking from the clutch side of the flywheel not the crankside.....right?
In the air
A look inside
That is how it looks now. Just wanted to see what you guys thought. I'll know more when I get the clutch and flywheel out.
Later,
Max
10-22-2007, 09:19 AM
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You need to take a picture of the clutch out and the pilot bearing removed. To see if the freeze plug on the crank has been hit or it is cocked. This will cause a leak in that exact area.
10-22-2007, 12:39 PM
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Excellent, bring on the pictures and keep us updated. Im going to be doing alot of other projects with this while I have it all apart. Such as aluminum couplers in the drive shaft, metal end links on my sway bars, remote slave bleeder, and I may even send my Ram clutch and flywheel in to be reconditioned if it looks glazed. I'll keep everyone updated on all that as well.
Later,
Max
Later,
Max
10-27-2007, 03:54 PM
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Hey guys,
If you saw my first post from a few weeks ago I said I would be updating shortly, here you go.
Well today I pulled off the pressure plate and flywheel to expose the pilot bushing. After removing the pilot bushing I could see the rear plug (behind the pilot bushing), and it was all beat up and crooked. I wiped it all clean and Im gonna check it out in the morning to confirm.
The rear main seal is PERFECT, and there was no oil on the flywheel bolts and I could tell a good amount of sealant was used the last time they were torqued down.
The bad news, all that oil on my pressure plate, clutch (ram HD) and flywheel have scorched them all pretty good. So the whole assembly will be going back to Ram for reconditioning.
Here are the pictures.
Rear Main one
Rear Main two
Pressure Plate
FLywheel toasted!
And if anyone knows any tricks for this freaking clip on the rear of the torque tube on a 2001 let me know. Im gonna check out the torque tube bushing while I have everything apart.
torque tube clip 2001
Later,
Max
If you saw my first post from a few weeks ago I said I would be updating shortly, here you go.
Well today I pulled off the pressure plate and flywheel to expose the pilot bushing. After removing the pilot bushing I could see the rear plug (behind the pilot bushing), and it was all beat up and crooked. I wiped it all clean and Im gonna check it out in the morning to confirm.
The rear main seal is PERFECT, and there was no oil on the flywheel bolts and I could tell a good amount of sealant was used the last time they were torqued down.
The bad news, all that oil on my pressure plate, clutch (ram HD) and flywheel have scorched them all pretty good. So the whole assembly will be going back to Ram for reconditioning.
Here are the pictures.
Rear Main one
Rear Main two
Pressure Plate
FLywheel toasted!
And if anyone knows any tricks for this freaking clip on the rear of the torque tube on a 2001 let me know. Im gonna check out the torque tube bushing while I have everything apart.
torque tube clip 2001
Later,
Max
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10-29-2007, 08:43 PM
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Well here is the proof that the rear plug is the culprit. After I wiped it clean and let it sit overnight.
And here are the couplers after removing them from the torque tube, PERFECT condition. I've never seen any this good.
Im replacing them with aluminum.
Later,
Max
And here are the couplers after removing them from the torque tube, PERFECT condition. I've never seen any this good.
Im replacing them with aluminum. Later,
Max
