Maybe someday, someone else can utilize the knowledge from this question...

I think the rearmain is leaking on my Case's engine, it's a 188, should be pretty much the same as yours.

Can't tell yet if it's the pan or the RMS, but curious, since I think you mentioned having to go inside your engine awhile back, can the Rear main seal be replaced without splitting the tractor?

Wondering if I can get by just dropping the pan?

I left my manuals for a friend to use and can't get ahold of him until Monday.

Hoepfully you tell me it's a quick job, otherwise I the kind of idiot that will turn this into a 3 month inframe job

 

I don't have my manuals here handy either, and I can't for the life of me recall exactly what kind of rear main seal it has, but I'm leaning towards one-piece, which of course means splitting the machine. It also has a wet torque converter, which means that hydraulic tranny fluid is in the convertor housing around the converter and requires a gasket between the block and the tranny. If the rear main is leaking it would leak into that space and you wouldn't know it unless the block/tranny gasket is bad, in which case you would be seeing tranny fluid leaking. Maybe that's what you're seeing. If it's verifiably engine oil, it's more likely coming from the pan gasket which is easily do-able with the engine still in place..

 

That's what I'm thinking too...but mines manual shift, not a torque converter, and I've got engine oil coming from in from in front of the bellhousing and also fron behind, but I haven't been able to tell if its leaking from the pan, running to the back, or leaking from both places.

It really just started all of a sudden after i got it running again and worked it for about an hour or two the other day.

I do have another rear housing and tranny assembly for a TC setup with the pump in it, and the guy I got it from still has the TC he'll let me have, If I have to split it again at the engine (last time I just split it at the tarnny) I'll upgrade the old girl to the TC style.

I guess it's time to drag out the steam cleaner and get a better idea of what Im up against.

 

Yeah, I pressure wash ours all the time when I want to get a better idea of the source of the latest leak. (And there are plenty...you'd almost think these things were made in England!)

When we yanked the engine on ours, we raised the bucket and locked it in place (I cut a couple pieces of 2"X2" angle iron about 28-30" long to set on top of the rams and support the bucket when working on it for safety) and then unbolted the whole front end. The grille surround is also a stressed member so when the frame horns are unbolted from it they will move a bit.

We supported the front of the machine by cutting two peices of heavy 6" C-channel to length and bolting them to the arms after removing the grille surround and the front hydraulic system, including the crossover hose ***'y and the nipples that screw into the frame horns (which as you know also serve as the hydraulic fluid resevoir.)

We also supported the mid-section by using heavy-duty jack stands under the center of the frame on each side, where the two big bolts are that go up into the frame and connect the foward arms of the hoe. With the machine well-supported we unbolted the front axle and rolled it out, then unbolted the engine and used my cherry picker to slide it straight out between the frame horns. With two of us that had never done it before it was all out and done in about 6 hours. Of course, when working on the tranny you have to split it farther back as you did. Hopefully that won't be neccessary for us for quite some time as the tranny was fairly new when we got the machine.

 

Yes, I was eyeballing it yesterday, looks like a job for me and the forklift and a mess of jackstands.

I'm pretty sure mine is a dryclutch, if so, my concern is if I build up ening oil, it'll get onto the clutch and slip.

Hmmn, might be time for a well placed drain hole

 

Well, defintely is the rear main seal, let it run for a bit longer today and have oil coming out of my clutch rod hole in the bellhousing...damn....looked at my manual, and see "press fit oil retainer" seal...definitely one piece and for sure means another split is coming up.

WTH, might take it to the Ag shop at the HighSchool, see if they want to learn on something, I'm getting tired of working on stuff just to keep it running.

 

How bad is it leaking? Ours leaves little puddles everywhere it goes (sort of like an incontinent puppy) but we just live with it. Seems I no sooner fix one leak than 3 more spring up. Gotta love the older equipment.

Actually, I really do like the old 580B, it's a great machine for part time or farm use. But I wouldn't want to try to use one to make my living, just couldn't afford the downtime.

 

It's a pretty healthy leak, backing out in low range at an idle, it'll leave almost a constant line of oil. Just too much to live with. A few drops here and there wouldn't be bad, but puddles concern me.

 

Yeah, that's too much. Sounds like you'd almost need to put an aux. oil tank on it to feed the engine and keep up with the loss. Hmm, catch the oil leaking out and run it through a screen and back into the engine... Nah, just gonna have to grin and bear it and split 'er apart again. That sucks...but after you've done it once you're already an expert, so the second time around shouldn't be so bad. Don't know if I'd want the local HS learning on my machine though...

 

Yeah, I typed in frustration. Ill do it.

Speaking of a catch can, our first Forklift had a heck of a leak in the front of the engine...not sure if you're familiar with Continetals, very similar to the Flathead Crysler 6's, but we'd put a split one gallon jug under it to catch all the oil. We had the jug cut to hold two quarts, when we'd see it spilling on the ground, it meant it was time to top it off again.

 

Well, there's your short-term solution. But yes, you need to get that fixed if you don't want to have to replace the clutch at the same time. Wish you were closer, I'd lend you a hand...

 

Funny you mention the clutch, when i was loading some dirt I was on a steep downhill incline and tried to back up...and the clutch was slipping...probably washed the oil up into it.

You know, when I get done getting this thing into shape...all said and done, I'd have been better off spending a few more bucks for a newer unit.

Oh well, somthing to do this winter when the rains come...not like i wanted to do anything else

 

I don't know about you, but for us, they're basically already here. That last storm dumped quite a bit if rain on us and really fouled things up at work.

My boss wanted to buy the absolute cheapest hoe he could find which was how we ended up with this one, but I often think we could have done better to spend a bit more on a 580C or something a bit newer like that. Or at least a B in better shape. Since we've had this one we've had to replace almost all the hoses, rebuilt most of the cylinders (some of which are leaking again) replaced the exhaust manifold (in the interest of time we built a tubular manifold for it, kinda cool) replaced all 4 tires, rebuilt the engine, the starter, replaced the alternator, repaced the radiator and then had to add a transmission cooler when the one on the radiator started to leak into the cooling system, now that one needs replacing, welded and rewelded and plated several cracks and breaks and done a ton of little things here and there including changing all fluids several times as they seem to attract water, I don't know from where.

It still needs the new brakes I bought for it installed, a new (or rebuilt) injection pump, the steering rebuilt (spindles are so sloppy it wanders all over the street when I have to road it) and most of the backhoe bushings need replacing. And there's always something new that pops up. We've spent more on this thing than the original purchase price of 5 grand. By the time it's up to snuff we'll have 15 grand or more into it, and it'll only be worth about 8.

Yet, I still like it...go figure! (At least it's not coming out of my pocket!)

 

I'd feel better if someone were paying for my parts

I payed 5K for mine too, put another 1100 into the tranny, needs better rear tires, but will probably last me for quite sometime anyway...the tread isn't bad, but dry rotting away. Probably the original rear tires. I've put 200+ in ram kits on the loader, and will have to spend that much again for the hoe. Only replaced a few hoses on the loader, about 80 bucks worth, but will spend twice that on the hoe. I'll have to put in some bushings as well.

I just have a feeling once I'm done doing all the above, I'll lose the bottom end of the engine...sooo, once I take it apart for the rear seal, I'll probably go through the motor too and be done with it, least it will give me a piece of mind.

I remember thinking I didnt want to spend 10K on a backhoe to use once in awhile, but I'll be there soon enough!