Hey guys, I was under my 1995 F350 4x4 doing some clean up, and I am noticing a mild leak coming from the bell housing area. So I had it looked at, and sure enough, its a rear main seal. I have been getting about $450 for quotes to do the job which isn't too bad, but I was told I should replace the oil pump and oil pan gasket while they would be in and around that area. But half the guys I have gotten quotes from say you cant access the oil pan without taking the engine out, which is the harder of two between removing the tranny to get to the the rear main seal. So my question is, have you guys been able to access the oil pan and oil pump by only removing the tranny? Or are they right? and you do have to remove the engine to get to the oil pan and pump? It looks to me, that they would only have to remove the driver side header, and then it looks as tho they would be able to pull the oil pan out, but I may be wrong, what do you guys think. Also, if it does turn out I would need to take the engine out to get the pan and pump, is it not worth doing it that way, or should I just pay the extra to pull the motor while there doing the rear main seal so I will have a piece of mind knowing I got all that bottom end crap taking care of while we were in the general area. Thanks

 

in order to replace the rear main seal in a 460 - the oil pan has to come off and the rear main cap removed - although I never tried it "in" the truck - I believe the other main caps get loosened up a bit so the crank drops a tiny bit to allow removal/replacement of rear main seal ...which is a two pc seal - not like the 5.8 - which I believe is similar to an axle seal.......might as well ck the bearings while youre in there.......I think the engine has to get jacked WAY up with wood 4x4s under the mounts to remove the pan in the truck - not so sure removing the tranny helps

unless it really leaks a lot - or your oil pressure is low or other work is needed
that requires engine removal _ Id drive it and add oil

get a guarantee from who ever does it - if you decide to go ahead

good luck

 

excellent information. I think I will ride on the leak for a little while until I find the perfect person for the job and get the money to do it Thank you

 

Being a 1995 with all the emissions crap, $450 is sounding like a price I would be very willing to pay for a new rear seal and oil pan gasket!
For an older 460 like mine (in my '76 F150), I would sooner pull the motor before doing another pan gasket. I did mine in the truck by removing exhaust at the manifolds, unbolting engine mounts, removing fan/shroud, and jacking it up from the balancer. Had to pull oil pump to get pan off too. I was not able to judge the seal at the rear pan gasket with the trans in the way, and so I still have a leak there. Impossible to see how it is seated that way.
So, with all that work, how much longer would it have taken to pull the motor out? Another 15 minutes worth? And it would have saved me a big headache, and I could have also put on a new pump seal on the trans at the same time.
I would not pay for a new oil pump; I don't think it is worth it. I have had a lot of high miler Fords, and none ever had a failure from an oil pump...

Bottom line: I hate oil leaks! They don't belong on Fords.

 

lol vehicles are so stressful nothing but a pain my ***

 

You got that right! My Thunderbird is killing me with a very mysterious problem right now... I am hating OBD II these days!

 

But what about this, I was under the peeking around and the front of the motor is leak too? I just had the front end all apart on this, I don't understand why its leaking oil from the front too?

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They might can fix that at the same time for the same money... You will have to investigate the cause.