Rear main seal leaking???
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 137
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From: Parker, CO
Rear main seal leaking???
The rear main is leaking in my SD. Does anyone know where I can get the tool to align the rear main seal? Or has someone done the fix without a tool? The book says you need this alignment tool or the seal might leak. If anyone has done this let me know. Thanks
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 5,584
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From: Millbrook Alabama
are you positive its the rear main seal, and not just a leak of the oil rail o-rings up top. or possibly the turbo orings. both will look like it is the rear main. look in your valley on the top side and see if it is dry, if you see oil it is probably running down the rear of the engine and dripping from the observation port.
A rear main seal leak is very rare on a 7.3 PSD
A rear main seal leak is very rare on a 7.3 PSD
Of the next Riffraff East
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 8,679
Likes: 2
From: Concord NC
Pull your inspection plate off and have a good look at your seal. These engines usually don't leak there. The leak from the top is much more likely. You will have to get on top of your engine and look down in the engine valley way back under all the turbo and intake stuff. It could also be leaking from one of you oil rail plugs. Just don't hear of many rear seals going out.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,243
Likes: 16
From: AZ
You might want to get a can of leak detector and borrow a blacklight from a hippie 
...Clean the engine down real good, pour in the leak detector, and start her up at and let it idle. Look for the source of the leak, if you find none, then take her for a short drive and look again. That stuff makes the leak source just jump out at you...even I, the Ray Charles 
of FTE, can see it then!
...Clean the engine down real good, pour in the leak detector, and start her up at and let it idle. Look for the source of the leak, if you find none, then take her for a short drive and look again. That stuff makes the leak source just jump out at you...even I, the Ray Charles of FTE, can see it then!
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Parker, CO
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,243
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From: AZ
You ought to be able to pick it up at a NAPA shop or probably one of the large retailers like Autozone. Here are links to some online:
http://www.shop.com/op/~Fluorescent_...8?sourceid=298
http://www.autobarn.net/fluorleakdet1.html
http://www.shop.com/op/~Fluorescent_...8?sourceid=298
http://www.autobarn.net/fluorleakdet1.html
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Posting Guru
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,274
Likes: 1
From: Milroy, PA
Another thing, as stooopid as it sounds, check your airfilter. Believe it or not, we had one truck with the exact same symtoms. Nothing on top, nothing at the turbo, leaking from the bottom of the bell housing. It was just under warrenty by like 200 miles, so of course, we let the dealer handle it, in hopes wed get a new rear main. They did their look over, and said the air filter was plugged, and has caused problems like this. (all stock truck) They replaced the air filter, cleaned off all the oil, and voiala, no more oil leak. I know it just doesnt seem possible, or sound right, but its something to look into..
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,079
Likes: 11
From: LA and CO
Clean the valley and back of the engine real good with some Simple Green. I'm sure the leak will be gone, but you'll find one in the valley......
That's what happened to me. Turbo pedestal is leaking a little.
That's what happened to me. Turbo pedestal is leaking a little.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,079
Likes: 11
From: LA and CO
Usually it'll leak right under the turbo, but also check the hoses from the HPOP to the rails, the plugs on the rails, as well as the fuel filter housing. Sometimes the filter housing will leak at the drain petcock. That coupled with the oily residue in the valley from the leaky boots will make it look like an oil leak. That's what mine was doing when I first got it.
Hopefully it's just a small leak on top. I don't like tackling rear mains....
Hopefully it's just a small leak on top. I don't like tackling rear mains....
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,079
Likes: 11
From: LA and CO
It could be an o-ring leak or a HPOP hose leak up in the valley. Climb up there with a light and check it out. Someone on here recently had an HPOP hose go bad and leak... BAD!!!! Could be the pedestal too... Both are real easy fixes though.