I'm having some oil leak from the rear main seal of my '95 460ci with the heavy duty auto tranny. With the good possibility of having to replace the seal, do I need to remove the tranny or just move it back?
This would be a new project for me since my mechanicing experience is limited.
Thanks for the help!

 

I have replaced several rear main seals on various engines without removing or unbolting the transmission. The toughest part is getting the oil pan off.

 

I think my front main seal is leaking, which I know is an entirely different job, but I'd be interested to know how the rear main is done through the oil pan. If it's that straight forward, I might do both at the same time just so I know everything is good to go.

 

That should be a two piece seal so you need to remove the pan and the rear main bearing cap. Trans can stay in place. Might be easier to pull the engine though.

 

Probably easier to remove the engine. If I recall properly, you need to jack up the engine 3" or so, remove the oil pan, remove the rear main bearing cap, loosen the other main caps 1/64" or something like that, and then you can get enough clearance to properly do the seal.

This is from the Ford Repair Manual I think.

 

Just did my 96 F250 4X4. I pulled the engine but I also had a couple freeze plugs leaking plus I needed to resurface my exhaust manifolds and replace the bolts, gaskets and studs.

It was easy with the engine on a stand. Pull the pan, take the rear main cap off. Then a few good taps with a hammer and a small punch on the steel ring in the seal will drive it out far enough to grab it with pliers and pull out. Take half of the new seal, put alittle grease on the surface that contacts the crank (both halves). My seal had a small flexible plastic tab to insert between the block and the seal to protect the outside of the new seal during installation. Then slide the new seal in, seat it evenly. Put the new half in the cap, put a small drop of a good quality RTV on each end of one half of the new seal. Reinstall the main cap and torque the bolts.


Todd

 

Did you put the seal pieces flush with the main cap and block? Or leave them a bit angled? The Ford manual calls for angled a bit.

 

I did leave the alignment off just alittle.

 

Good to hear. My friend didn't do that, I think it's about 3/8" cockeyed you need to angle it. Well, he had a leak. Yay.

 

So far since I replaced the synthetic with conventional as well as adding an entire bottle of Lucas Engine Oil Stop-Leak, the leaking as slowed "way" down. I cranked it and let it idle for about 1 1/2 hours Friday and there were only about 2 or 3 drips.

 

Something else you might want to try, Valvoline MaxLife High Mileage. Did wonders for me. I'm not a big believer in stop leak products, they thicken the hell out of oil and make it sludgy. Especially not a fan of Lucas products. Some may feel different, but besides their fuel products, I feel like they are snake oil.

 

I might try that. The conventional that I put in was Mobile Super High Mileage. I'm willing to try what ever on it as long as it's not Penzoil or Quaker State. I've heard to many horror stories on those.

 

Look up high mileage oils (both conventional and synthetic or blended) at bobistheoilguy.com

 

Thanks, I'll do that.

 

I put regular dino Penzoil in mine and it started leaking at the rear main. I had to add some synthetic b/c that's all I had it I don't know if it made it worse but drained it all and changed to all Penzoil again (that's what was on sale at the parts store) and added a bottle of Lucas per my mechanics recommendation. It has all but stopped now but I wonder if I hadn't used Penzoil with it's "cleaning agents" if I wouldn't have a leak at all to begin with. I won't use it next time for sure.