Any suggestions on replacing a rear main seal on a 72 360 its a auto tranny just need some suggestions with out yanking out the motor

 

Are ya going to use the rope seal or the plastic hard one? Loosen all the main caps on the crank. If a rope seal use wire with a slip loop in it to pull it through the top. If the hard seal just push and tap it in. A little sealer wont hurt just don't get it on the part of the seal that rides on the crank. Use it on the back side and joints of the hard seal. I don't use any on the rope seal. Just lube it with motor oil or pre lube. Make sure ya lube either one ya use. I assume it is a two wheel drive or ya may have to take the engine mounts lose and jack up the FE to get the pan off.

 

Hey Mike, Welcome to FTE & the FE forum.

A big heads up, FE rear mains can leak, but the rear intake seal & valve covers many times are the real leakers. The massive amount of air that is blown through the engine bay makes the rear main look like the culprit when it isn't.

Get a light & mirror, make sure the intake & heads where the valve covers connect are dry before you pull the engine & replace the rear main.



John

 

John is right on about the rear of the intake possibly being the leak. It will look like a rear main leaking and is not. Check it before doing the rear main for sure. Ya get some rep points for that one John.

 

Thank you guys no one told me that one just saw the oil leaking really bad from the back of the block every start up. And I looked every where for different rear seals but all I can find is that fel pro seal is it supposed to come in a kit or do I reuse the clamps on it. Sorry I'm only 20 yrs old and neverhad this kind of problem on any of my engines

 

Mike, You did not say that you verified the rear of the engine above the crank was dry.



John

 

I had a situation where the damn freeze plug at the back of the block was seeping.

Just saying you may want to dig in a little further to confirm the location of the leak.

also i personally prefer the rope seal to the neoprene one. Never had one leak that i installed.

 

Pretty much the only version available is the rubber seal. The original rope seals are gone by the wayside. I would not want to try to put a rope seal in a complete engine. You would have to drop the crank out to get the upper half put in.

The rubber versions will slip in with crank in block. Never had to do one, but plenty people have.

 

Not so. I have put in many rope seals with just dropping the main cap and loosening the rest. Ya got to grease it up good and pull it through with a piece of wire or like that. Hard to believe the rope seal is no longer available. I prolly have got a few out in the parts bus. But they been on the self 20 years at least. What ever seal ya use just make sure ya pre lube it.

Has it been confirmed that it is the rear main and not the back of the intake that leaks. They will drip in the same place.

 

Agree its to tough to locate leak, you are fighting wind from the fan and gravity.

You might try a tool called "sneaky pete" to get the old rope seal out, but seems to me there is a pin in there that would hang it up, not sure.

Or you could just replace the lower seal, figure 50/50 chance you got it. Also it might be the side seals, those can be replaced without even pulling the main cap, I believe.

puttster

 

i have a 1993 ford bronco xlt and when im driving i smell the oil burning off and when i push the gas see it smoking from out the rear ,now is this a sign that the rear main seal is leaking and if so how much of a problem is it to change myself and is this a 0ne piece or 2 piece seal and if it is a one piece can it be replaced with a 2 piece seal

 

ricky48 Ford installed the FE for the last time in 76. What engine is your Bronk running? 5.0??




John

 

Regarding the OP's FE (as I am in the same boat myself albeit a 45 year old 352) can it be determined for certain that either the rear main OR the intake/back of engine seals are leaking? In my case I will have the motor out on a stand and will be able to have a good look at the back of it to tell. What evidence would indicate rear main vs. intake? Would oil leak out behind the flex plate or flywheel indicating rear main or would that leak be seen elsewhere as well? Any reason NOT to change the rear main seal on a 40-45yo motor if it can be determined for certain it is not leaking at the moment? Forgive all the questions, but I am accustomed to the traditional one piece seal that gets changed easily and the two piece is still a bit of a head scratcher for me....