CRG Discussion Forum
Camaro Research Group Discussion => Maintenance => Topic started by: vabeach56wagon on April 10, 2019, 05:26:55 PM
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Any helpful short cuts, cautions, tips, advice on process to replace leaking rear main oil seal....
Done it before but not on a Camaro. The car's currently up on stands; new Muncie ready to go in, bellhousing is off; clutch and flywheel are off for balancing.
I anticipate reassembling flywheel on back, including the rear crossmember mount, freeing side mounts, jacking motor up and then dropping the pan, etc.
paul
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Take spark plugs out. You will want to use a socket on the crank to roll the topside seal out of the block. I have used a tool like a steel dentist pick to hook onto the seal and pull as the crank it turned. When putting a new seal in, don’t have the mating surfaces of the seal inline with the main cap. Have the seal’s mating surfaces at 2 & 7 o’clock, roughly. Also, inspect the crank surface where the seal rides. Make sure that surface is smooth. I take crocus cloth and use a long thin strip and feed it over the crank and pull it back and forth like polishing a shoe occasionally turning the crank. Use “brake clean” and flush the surface and the whole area. If air is available, blow off the area ( all this is done without a seal in place). Lube the seal before installing. I use Vaseline because runnier stuff make it hard to keep the seal mating surfaces clean and oil free. Because, when you put the other half of the seal in the cap to install, you are going to want to put a small dab of gasket sealer on both sides of the mating surfaces and, then, put it all back together.
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Good suggestions Bentley! :) I've got a car with a leaking rear seal; wanna come help me fix it up? :)
Gary
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Good suggestions Bentley! :) I've got a car with a leaking rear seal; wanna come help me fix it up? :)
Gary
Seeing it is you Gary, sure. Everyone else is on their own, ha!
Oh yeah, just remember, everything is easier when sitting at a keyboard.
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Thank you gentlemen. Very helpful. I am also assuming that the mating surface to which you refer is at corners cap to block with RTV, not surface of the actual seal.
paul
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Just a couple of questions. Why put ends of rear main seal at 2 and 7 [8] O'clock? What happens when you later remove the main bearing cap for inspection?
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Do I have to remove mount bolts, distributor cap and rotor, jack the engine up and insert short length of 2X4(on 2" side) between engine mount and frame mount or will the pan drop as long as it is in 5:00 at balancer?
I had planned on loosening the newly-installed trans mount (new gear set in rear, rebuilt and balanced driveshaft, new M22, balanced flywheel and clutch assembly, new pilot bushing)...and of course the starter, etc.
paul
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Before you start, drain the oil and disconnect the positive battery cable. Remove the distributor cap. Remove the dipstick and fan blade. Drain the antifreeze and disconnect the lower rad hose at the water pump. Remove the idler arm to frame bolts and lower the steering linkage. Remove the through bolts from the engine mounts. Raise the engine till you can place wood 2" x 4" pieces between the subframe and the upper side of the engine mounts using the 4" side. You may have to remove the starter. Rotate the engine to get the timing mark at 6 o'clock. You may want to loosen the transmission mount but I would not remove the bolts as the will help to keep the engine from moving forward or back. Do not use sealer between main bearing cap and engine bock. If you use sealer between ends of the rear main seal I would use something like Locktite gasket maker.
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After reading my post I have realized that I should have added, remove the engine oil pan. The replacement of the rear main seal is covered in post #1 Good luck
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I have done this job before, just not in a Camaro....although I hadn't thought of removing the radiator hose and fan....am I correct in reading your post that I need 4" of clearance, not 2"
paul
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I am not sure of the exact amount the engine has to be raised. The 4" [3.5"] side of the wood is placed between the upper mount to engine bolt and the subframe. That should give the clearance needed to remove the engine oil pan. If the wood is placed at a different location the 2" [1.5'] may support the engine high enough to remove the pan. I am describing how I have done this repair.
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I did the job on 390 Ford engine years ago and learned a helpful step in the procedure. When you have the pan removed you can make the seal a lot easier to change if you loosen all of the main bearing cap bolts and then bump the engine over by tapping the ignition key. This causes the crankshaft to drop down just a little making the rear main seal loose in it's groove.
Try this at your own risk but it worked well for me. Maybe only do it as a last resort if you are all apart and having a bad time removing the seal.
Mike.