What to replace when the rear main seal is shot?

[BenI]

I'm afraid my rear main seal (behind flywheel) is shot. I got under the cr this weekend to check an oil leak and found the freshest oil seeming to drip from the flywheel bellhousing drain hole. I suspect the rear main seal. This is my only car so I can't afford to have it off the street for more than a weekend. I'm looking for suggestions of what I should replace while my tranny is down. I have a 2.0L 4-cyl that only has about 13k on it. I can see oil on the flywheel so suspect it's migrated to the clutch disk by now. I'm thinking of replaceing the clutch disk, flywheel o-ring, rear main seal, needle bearing--anything else? Thanks for your help!

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Get some brake cleaner and some "freeze plug sealer". Epoxy might do as well. Clean the bejeezus out of the areas around the oil gallery plugs (aluminum plugs pressed into the crankcase) that are behind the flywheel. Then use the freeze plug sealer or epoxy over them. These can sometimes leak, and the sealer helps to prevent this.

--DD

[BenI]

Should I check crankshaft slop and be prepared to shim if necessary?

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Yup. If it's really large, you'll either have to tear down the motor and have it line-bored, or find a new crankcase.

...Mine was about 1/16". 0.075" or so. Only about 20x the max allowed...

--DD

[Bleyseng]

Check the end play before you take it all apart! If it is excessive that could be causing the leak. My bet is the freeze plugs....or a tranny front seal leak.
Geoff

[BenI]

Im planning on buying:

Main bearing 029-105-245B $9.30
Pilot Bearing 111-105-313A $3.50
Felt washer 111-105-311 $1.90
Clutch disc A-116-014-00 $131.80
Flywheel o-ring 021-105-279 $1.90
Flywheel crush washer 021-105-275 $1.10
Flywheel lock PEL-PP909953 $14.29

And will be ready for a gallery plug fix-done this before twice on this engine on the plugs by the oil filter.

[TimW]

That looks to be the same list of parts I’ll be getting to fix the same problem on my 2.0L (minus the clutch disk that I already have and flywheel lock that I fashioned myself).

I’m also getting the following:

Throw Out Arm Bushing, 914-4 All A-116-741-01 $2.10
Throw Out Arm Retainer, 914-4 All A-116-077-01 $5.50

I'm not sure of the condition of mine, so I figured I'd just plan on replacing them.

Good Luck!

[Ron Meier]

One more thing -

Many moons ago, I owned a '71. I went for a speed run on 395 thru the cactus and sand. At 105 or thereabouts, I guess the internal pressure of the engine "blew" the lips out on my rear main seal. Not only did it leak oil (an Oklahoma gusher), it "tweeted" at me like a bird till the day I sold it (shortly after the speed run).

Check for excessive blow by too!

[BenI]

Turned out to be a leaking oil gallery plug. I got under the car, convinced myself that the excess oil was due to leaky valve cover gaskets, and drove it for another week. One night I was pulling out of the garage and the oil light came on. I blew the lower plug. Only took me 10 hours (including bike trips to the hardware store) to fix the problem right-tapped the holes and JB welded in plugs. Never even had to disconnect the half-shafts. Now I only have to worry about the front plugs blowing!

[Joe Ricard]

Pelican parts has a kit with everything you need. Including muffler gaskets, CV joint gaskets, New flywheel bolts, Nylon pivot cup, (just a whole bunch of stuff) Need all of it if you drop the motor. I guess you could do this in place but it would be just as much a PITA.