Oil Leak from Rear Main Seal - advice???
07-25-2004, 05:42 PM
#1
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Oil Leak from Rear Main Seal - advice??? I got a sudden, fairly high flow oil leak on my 99Z. Pep Boys said they thought it was coming from the rear main seal, but wouldn't know for sure w/o taking off the tranny.
Is the rear main seal the only part between the back of the engine and the tranny that could be leaking from, or does that area consist of multiple parts/seals. I'm going to take it to an F-body specialist rather than letting Pep Boys touch it, but I'm trying to figure out what parts I need to pick up in the mean time. Or should I just wait til the shop takes it apart to diagnose it further before getting the part(s)?
This is my daily driver and I'm up the creek without a ride until I can get it to the shop. Although I probably know the answer to this question unfortunately. Would it be extremely harmful to the engine to drive the car this week if I kept the oil topped off. Would topping it off be sufficient, or would oil pressure be enough of an issue to make driving it an extremely bad idea?
Thanks for the help.
Is the rear main seal the only part between the back of the engine and the tranny that could be leaking from, or does that area consist of multiple parts/seals. I'm going to take it to an F-body specialist rather than letting Pep Boys touch it, but I'm trying to figure out what parts I need to pick up in the mean time. Or should I just wait til the shop takes it apart to diagnose it further before getting the part(s)?
This is my daily driver and I'm up the creek without a ride until I can get it to the shop. Although I probably know the answer to this question unfortunately. Would it be extremely harmful to the engine to drive the car this week if I kept the oil topped off. Would topping it off be sufficient, or would oil pressure be enough of an issue to make driving it an extremely bad idea?
Thanks for the help.
07-25-2004, 06:07 PM
#2
There really aren't that many places for oil to come from at the back of the motor. If it is high flow like you say, I wouldn't drive it. I'd get it to a shop as quickly as possible to let them see if the rear seal is bad or not. It's really pretty easy to change other than having to pull the tranny. You'll pay more for them taking it out than you will the whole seal swap.
07-25-2004, 06:49 PM
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Man, its a easy do it yourself thing, espeically if you have a 6spd, take the driveshaft out, unbolt the tranny from the bellhousing, them remove the bellhouse (this way you dont have to remove the Ypipe) then remove the clutch etc, (you will need a clutch alignment tool) remove the seal with a screwdrive or a pick, dont scratch the block tho, and put in the new seal, theres manyways to do this, but just make sure its all even and you dont break the spring or roll the lip in it..
07-26-2004, 12:00 AM
#4
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You took your car to pepboys? I wouldn't trust those guys with an oil change. I know at the few of them around here, only like 5% of the people who work in their shops are actual certified mechanics ... the rest of them are just normal people, with basically no real car experience.
If you're not going to do it yourself as Jason suggested, go take it to a real mechanic, so it is done right.
You took your car to pepboys? I wouldn't trust those guys with an oil change. I know at the few of them around here, only like 5% of the people who work in their shops are actual certified mechanics ... the rest of them are just normal people, with basically no real car experience.
If you're not going to do it yourself as Jason suggested, go take it to a real mechanic, so it is done right.
07-26-2004, 11:46 AM
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I agree, if the flow is high then be careful of driving it other than to a mechanic.
There should be no loss of oil pressure as the rear seal is just a "dump" area back to the oil pan. The only other possibility is that the rear cover itself is cracked. Other than that there is a small intersection where the rear cover and oil pan gaskets meet. If it is leaking there just add some 100% silicon to each side before reinstalling the cover and allow to cure for at least 24 hrs before adding oil or running.
Hope all comes out good!
There should be no loss of oil pressure as the rear seal is just a "dump" area back to the oil pan. The only other possibility is that the rear cover itself is cracked. Other than that there is a small intersection where the rear cover and oil pan gaskets meet. If it is leaking there just add some 100% silicon to each side before reinstalling the cover and allow to cure for at least 24 hrs before adding oil or running.
Hope all comes out good!
07-26-2004, 12:29 PM
#6
well good deal.....I'll just post my problem here....
I have a leak from the rear of my engine (only when it runs). I first thought it was the rear cover-to-oil pan gasket surface (had not got the rear cover seated correctly) but after removing the engine and reinstalling it (its right this time), I still have my leak. I put the engine on a 60% angle (for about 10 mins) before I installed it and did not have any oil come out. Once the engine was back in the car and I went to drive it, I came home and had A LOT of motor oil under the bell housing area. The oil level was a little high (overfilled some) but that should not have caused it to like right?
I take this to mean that somehow my rear seal is damaged (when I installed it) and oil is getting around the seal as it runs. What I don't understand is "Why don't I have lots of oil all over the flywheel and bell housing?". There is a light film on the back of the flywheel but as I see it, shouldn't there be LOTS of oil on it?
This weekend I will pull the engine again to install ALL NEW gaskets and seals (new oil pan, rear cover, and rear crank seal) and I want to know:
"How do I install the seal in such a way that I do not have this problem (damage it) again?"
thanks guys
I have a leak from the rear of my engine (only when it runs). I first thought it was the rear cover-to-oil pan gasket surface (had not got the rear cover seated correctly) but after removing the engine and reinstalling it (its right this time), I still have my leak. I put the engine on a 60% angle (for about 10 mins) before I installed it and did not have any oil come out. Once the engine was back in the car and I went to drive it, I came home and had A LOT of motor oil under the bell housing area. The oil level was a little high (overfilled some) but that should not have caused it to like right?
I take this to mean that somehow my rear seal is damaged (when I installed it) and oil is getting around the seal as it runs. What I don't understand is "Why don't I have lots of oil all over the flywheel and bell housing?". There is a light film on the back of the flywheel but as I see it, shouldn't there be LOTS of oil on it?
This weekend I will pull the engine again to install ALL NEW gaskets and seals (new oil pan, rear cover, and rear crank seal) and I want to know:
"How do I install the seal in such a way that I do not have this problem (damage it) again?"
thanks guys
07-26-2004, 12:55 PM
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Thanks for the help guys. I'm taking it to an f-body specialist on Saturday - he said the new main seal is only 35 bucks which is great and I'm putting on an aftermkt clutch at the same time. Let's just hope it's not anything else like the rear cover being cracked. I'll let you know how it turns out.
