Rear main seal/housing question...
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From: Central Valley, CA
Rear main seal/housing question... I purchased a 90,000 mile LS1 from a salvage yard and I am in the process of replacing cam and lifters. Should the rear main seal and rear housing gasket get replaced as well? There is no evidence of leakage but I am not sure about the longevity of these seals on LS1s? Thanks!
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i would do the rear main and rear cover gasket and possiblly front cover seal with front crank hub seal and oil pan you are there and would be wise now before it goes in the car also there is a special kent moore alignment tool for rear main and front and rear covers i can get the numbers and laon you the tools if you need just let me know
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From: Central Valley, CA
I was planning on front seal and front cover as well as the oil pan but I wasn't certain about the rear main. I will go ahead and take care of that while I am in there. I am interested in the alignment/centering tools, that was one of my concerns with taking it apart. I thought I could get lucky and leave the timing cover bolts finger tight, install front seal, then rotate the crankshaft to get it to center itself but if the tools are available I would much rather go that route!
If Im not mistaken, the tools are retarded expensive, and not really worth the cost. Heres how I assembled mine, and not a drop of oil has been seen anywhere since:
Oil pan first:
Since everything is basically located to the oil pan, I installed all bolts finger tight with new gasket installed. Visually centered the oil pan side to side. Torqued the bellhousing to the block/oil pan to factory specs. Then snugged up oil pan-block bolts, so nothing would move once the bell is removed..
Timing cover/Crank seal:
New gaskets on both. Installed all bolts finger tight, and visually centered side to side. Centering up and down doesnt completely matter since the oil pan bolts will pull it down to seal against the gasket. Put black RTV on the corners where the cover meets the block/oil pan for added insurance.
Rear cover/Main seal:
Pretty much the same as the front cover. all bolts finger tight, making sure that the main seal slides over the crank correctly. Mine was a reverse lip seal, and comes with a guide tool to slide it over the crank. Centered side to side, and black RTV in the corners where cover meets block/pan.
I then torqued the oil pan to the factory specs, including front and rear cover bolts, then torqued the front and rear covers in the correct order.
Oil pan first:
Since everything is basically located to the oil pan, I installed all bolts finger tight with new gasket installed. Visually centered the oil pan side to side. Torqued the bellhousing to the block/oil pan to factory specs. Then snugged up oil pan-block bolts, so nothing would move once the bell is removed..
Timing cover/Crank seal:
New gaskets on both. Installed all bolts finger tight, and visually centered side to side. Centering up and down doesnt completely matter since the oil pan bolts will pull it down to seal against the gasket. Put black RTV on the corners where the cover meets the block/oil pan for added insurance.
Rear cover/Main seal:
Pretty much the same as the front cover. all bolts finger tight, making sure that the main seal slides over the crank correctly. Mine was a reverse lip seal, and comes with a guide tool to slide it over the crank. Centered side to side, and black RTV in the corners where cover meets block/pan.
I then torqued the oil pan to the factory specs, including front and rear cover bolts, then torqued the front and rear covers in the correct order.
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yea they are expensive if you buy them new you can get on ebay and get them dirt cheap wat i did and loan them out for a 20 dollar rental fee paid for themselves in know time also op you can do it they way stated above i have the tools thats why i use alignment tools but nothing wrong with way mentioned above i will get you the kent moore numbers and you can search on ebay and probably find a kit for under 100 dollars
if you want you can always purchase use and sell on here i know some people would use them
if you want you can always purchase use and sell on here i know some people would use them
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