Rear main seal question / help
Rear main seal question / help I did some searching and found the thread named "rear main seal install". Which was a guy doing it on his FI corvette. After he installed it, it started leaking again and CODE mentioned putting the seal in backwards and indeed it did fix the OP's problem. Later in the thread however, they point to this part:
http://www.karlperformanceparts.com/...?idproduct=574
which is a plate/seal/etc all in one piece (I highly doubt this can be installed in backwards). My pullout and mods are in my signature (its not FI and won't ever be... at most it will get a better cam than what it came with in the pullout). Can you please help me figure out what is needed to be done on this? Mine is leaking and I am looking to do this while I do a new f/w, clutch, and similar. I want to get this right the first time as pulling the trans in this tight of an area is either going to be magic and work or wind up causing me to pull the whole engine/trans back out in order to do... Thanks for your help on this.
http://www.karlperformanceparts.com/...?idproduct=574
which is a plate/seal/etc all in one piece (I highly doubt this can be installed in backwards). My pullout and mods are in my signature (its not FI and won't ever be... at most it will get a better cam than what it came with in the pullout). Can you please help me figure out what is needed to be done on this? Mine is leaking and I am looking to do this while I do a new f/w, clutch, and similar. I want to get this right the first time as pulling the trans in this tight of an area is either going to be magic and work or wind up causing me to pull the whole engine/trans back out in order to do... Thanks for your help on this.
I did mine a few yrs back and as far as I can tell it's not leaking. I just did a replacement seal instead of the whole cover. You could buy that cover and use it then sell your other one to recoupe some money or just do a new seal. It's not that difficult and will be much easier out of the vehicle. Just make sure the area is really clean and that you dont knick it removing the old one and then tap the new one in flush. I used a rubber mallet to start mine then used a 3" extension to tap it flush. The extension let me know it was flush cause it let out a "tink" noise when it would tap the aluminum cover.
I did mine a few yrs back and as far as I can tell it's not leaking. I just did a replacement seal instead of the whole cover. You could buy that cover and use it then sell your other one to recoupe some money or just do a new seal. It's not that difficult and will be much easier out of the vehicle. Just make sure the area is really clean and that you dont knick it removing the old one and then tap the new one in flush. I used a rubber mallet to start mine then used a 3" extension to tap it flush. The extension let me know it was flush cause it let out a "tink" noise when it would tap the aluminum cover.
Perfect, thank you, that's what I was wondering. I appreciate the help! You guys don't have a write up on this by chance do you? I am guessing that backing plate will need some sort of sealant or something to seal the plate, so if you guys have any good write-ups on this, let me know as I am wanting to replace all I can at once so I am not down without my car or have this problem again as its my DD 
There are some rear main seal threads over in the Manual Transmission section as well. I didn't take the rear cover off, just removed the old seal and slid the new one in. I gently tapped around the new seal using a screw driver to seat it, some people have used PVC of the right size to seat it evenly. I also installed the seal dry as recommended to me by an LS1 shop near me.
You should also check the oil seal in the center of the crank shaft, looks like a small freeze plug. Sometimes that gets banged when swapping the pilot bearing because it's right behind it.
You should also check the oil seal in the center of the crank shaft, looks like a small freeze plug. Sometimes that gets banged when swapping the pilot bearing because it's right behind it.
Last edited by massls1guy; Sep 1, 2010 at 02:05 PM. Reason: PVC, not PCV
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