REAR MAIN LEAKING.....AGAIN!! AAARRGGGHHHHH!!!

[Nalis]

Hi again guys & gals. I posted awhile back about my rear main leaking and got some good responces. I NEED HELP AGAIN!!!! I was going to try to do the job myself but wussed out. I did so because a guy came by the shop with a leaking windshield on his Jeep...HA! GO FIGURE! He is a good mechanic who has been in buisness for several years and I have had him fix a couple other things on other cars in the past. SOOOO..... we swapped problems and labor. The rear main was replaced, his windshield dosen't leak anymore. Three days later I have 7 to 10 times the oil comming of the rear main seal :shreekz: ! I called him back and he told me to bring it back so he could look at it again. He also told me that he had replaced several of the 2 piece seals befor with no problems, but mine was different for some reason. He said it had a strange lip on it. I was busy that day and didn't ask what he was talking about. Any ideas!
Thanks guys.

[LeadFoot]

Would sure be nice to know what engine it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dan90YJ]

if its a 258 or a 242 there are two different real main seals. The first time I did mine I had the wrong one, and it did not fix it.

the next time I used the other one (more of a double lip) and it hasnt leaked a drop since, well except for the 6 quarts it lost two weeks ago when I ripped the oil pan open on a rock.

[Nalis]

It has the 258 in it. Which rear main should I ask for? I told the guys at the parts counter that it was an 87 Jeep wrangler with a 258 in it. I didn't know there wee 2 different types of seals.

[BombThreat]

I just replaced my rear main seal a couple days ago and that scared me that he didnt know what that lip was for. The seal is made of two pieces with the bottom section only being able to go in one way but the top half can slide in facing either way. If the top was slid into the engine the wrong way that could cause your leak. Ask him if he faced the top seals lip forward so it matched the bottom seal's lip. Oh yeah and reading through my haynes manual your only suppost to apply rvt sealent on certain section of the seals. If it isnt it could mess with bearing tolerances and such.

[Nalis]

Yea.... that would mess things up having half the seal pointing the wrong way. I dont think that is the problem, altho ya never know about some people! Like I said in the earlier post he is a good mechanic with his own buisness for several years. SO..... are there 2 different seals for the rear main on 258 motor?

[Dan90YJ]

Yea.... that would mess things up having half the seal pointing the wrong way. I dont think that is the problem, altho ya never know about some people! Like I said in the earlier post he is a good mechanic with his own buisness for several years. SO..... are there 2 different seals for the rear main on 258 motor?


yup I bought them both the last time I did it and used the one that was different than the one in it(that leaked)

If I recall it was a double lip sorta deal, It was the heavier duty looking one (cost more too) I figured It was worth a shot. and well it worked

[Nalis]

I have to see if anyone around here carries both styles and buy them both. Do you remember where you got yours? And what brand it was?
Thanks

[jimithing27]

The fact that he told you the swal had some kind of funny lip says to me he did NOT know the way he needed to install it and probably put it in backwards.......

Never trust mechanics....

[mudmonster61]

how hard is it to replace the rear main seal in a I6.do you have to pull the tanny,do you have to pull the clutch set-up?? i need to replace mine and was wondering if it was a do-it your self deal

thanks jeremy

[James (Cubby) Culbertson]

I've not done it myself, yet. I've got the seal, just no time to install it just yet. From what I've seen/read, it's pretty straightforward. No pulling of clutch/tranny. Obviously the oil pan and then removal of at least one of the bearing caps (may have to loosen others if the seal won't come out/go in) but leave the tranny/clutch in place. At least that's my understanding. Perhaps someone who's done one can stop by and enlighten both of us!
Cheers,
cc

[Nalis]

I heard that they weren't to bad either, but..... there seem's to be some confusion ( to me anyway :confused: ) as to wether there is one type of seal or two types. Everything I saw said that only the one cap had to come off where the seal is. Bottom part should come out with the cap. Top part has to be poked out with something that wont scratch the crank shaft... small brass punch. Once it is started out grab it with a pair of pliers and pull the rest of the way. I had someone who is a mecanic replace mine, now it leaks even more than it did befor. I still havent had a chance to call anyone to see if there are 2 types of seals. And person that posted above hasen't responded back as to what type they used. Oh well. everyones just to busy now adays!
Good luck guys :vroam:

[azyj]

I replaced the rear main on my 4.0. You do NOT need to pull the tranny. Simply drop the oil pan. Of course, if you have no lift, I suppose dropping the oil pan could be an issue as you need room to maneuver it around the oil pump intake tube. Then you remove the rear bearing cap as half of the seal sits in the cap itself. If you still have your original oil pan gasket, plan on replacing that as you'll probably destroy it when you remove it. They are about $45-$50 or so from the dealer.

However, before assuming it is your rear main that is leaking, check to see if your valve cover bolts are tight. If they are loose, oil will leak out and drip down the back side of the engine creating the appearance that your rear main is leaking.

As for 2 types of seals, I'm not aware of that issue. The seal does have a lip that needs to face the proper direction. There are also a couple locations where a small amount of RTV needs to be applied. These issues are explained in both the factory service manual and the Haynes manual. (Don't know about Chilton.)

Also, the reason for possibly loosening other bearing caps is to release the pressure the crankshaft is putting on the upper seal half.

-Roger

[BombThreat]

I replaced the rear main on my 4.0. You do NOT need to pull the tranny. Simply drop the oil pan. Of course, if you have no lift, I suppose dropping the oil pan could be an issue as you need room to maneuver it around the oil pump intake tube. Then you remove the rear bearing cap as half of the seal sits in the cap itself. If you still have your original oil pan gasket, plan on replacing that as you'll probably destroy it when you remove it. They are about $45-$50 or so from the dealer.

However, before assuming it is your rear main that is leaking, check to see if your valve cover bolts are tight. If they are loose, oil will leak out and drip down the back side of the engine creating the appearance that your rear main is leaking.

As for 2 types of seals, I'm not aware of that issue. The seal does have a lip that needs to face the proper direction. There are also a couple locations where a small amount of RTV needs to be applied. These issues are explained in both the factory service manual and the Haynes manual. (Don't know about Chilton.)

Also, the reason for possibly loosening other bearing caps is to release the pressure the crankshaft is putting on the upper seal half.

-Roger
Thats accully the exact thiing that happened to me. I had one of my buddies who's a mechanic take a quick look at it and he said it definitly was the rear main seal. Well after replacing that it turned out to be only the valve cover gasket :swear:

[jimithing27]

Thats accully the exact thiing that happened to me. I had one of my buddies who's a mechanic take a quick look at it and he said it definitly was the rear main seal. Well after replacing that it turned out to be only the valve cover gasket :swear:


And this why we NEVER TRUST MECHANICS!!!!!!!

[jimithing27]

If you can read and can turn wrenches you can do this job... Or at least I would hope you can.... If you can't ... Well I would hate to be on a trail ride with you when you break.....
So follow these instructions and you should be fine...

http://www.moabjeeper.com/rearmain.htm

[Nalis]

I had a problem with the valve cover when I first got my Jeep. After replaceing several gaskets someone recomended that I get rid of the "PLASTIC" valve cover. :furious: Different expansion rates from plastic to metal....go figure! I broke down and bought an alumminum one. Fixed the problem first time. DUH! This is really the rear main.

I saw your post Jim. We must have been typing at the same time. COOL link. I might have to give it a try.Thanks for the info.