Rear Engine Seal....

If it isn't one thing it's another. It appears the CRITERION's rear main seal is leaking, and getting worse. While at Albany I noticed a small oil leak. While getting the oil changed last week I asked to guy to see where the oil may be coming from and he said the rear of the engine.
So the question is; "Just how much work is needed in order to change this seal or do I try an oil additive first?"

TKS
 
first do the necessary things. is it the main seal or the pan gasket. or is it coming from the front of the transmission. if it's the Tanny it will be the red in color and maybe not so thick. most of our cars leak from there. but if it is the rear main then you should be by now getting a lot of oil blown back under neath. the spray engine cleaner works good. Gunk makes one. get it at the parts store whend you get those clips, use it. first clean everything up. then walk around the pan bolts and see how lose they are. you don't need to crank them down just snug them up. drive it some and keep a eye on it. how much oil did it use on your trip? if your oil use is not much and the mess it makes is not bad leave it alone. thats what they make drip pans for. the valve cover gasget leaking in back will make it look like a rear seal also. clean it up find the leak go from there. :3_7_11v:
 
I’ve been dealing with a rear main seal leak for a while. While I had the transmission out for rebuild this week I had them look at it. They said the engine would have still have to come out to replace the rear main. It makes more of a mess then anything else, so I’ll stick with the drip pan.

Your car may be different- this is what I just experienced.

Joe
 
Richard, I feel your pain, I replaced my rear seal, oil pan gasket and several other gaskets, I have a transmission fluid leak and leaky radiator hoses. It never ends. These things spring leaks a lot! As do the new ones we use today. All the best. You are not alone. Invest in Speedy Dry. I did!
 
I’ve been dealing with a rear main seal leak for a while. While I had the transmission out for rebuild this week I had them look at it. They said the engine would have still have to come out to replace the rear main.

Don't believe that, Joe. I've replaced a few '59 rear main seals without removing the engine. Had to jack the engine up to clear the oil pan but that's the worst part.
 
if its a 2 piece rear main seal, you can change it with the motor in the car. remove oil pan, remove rear main cap, change seal.
 
According to my mechanic, he has to drop the exhaust, get in through an access panel in the tranny area, drop the oil pan and then he can change the seal. It is a two piece seal. He doesn't seem too concerned saying it should be about $200. :clubem:
 
I have done these in the past, and it is no easy project. The reason for removing the engine is because usually you need to loosen all the main bearing caps to get the seal into the top half of the engine. While it is out, you usually change the oil pump and the front main seal. I just hope that this doesn't turn out to be like your roof painting job, where you have to have it done 3 times. Does this mechanic guarantee that the replacement will not leak when he is done with the job? When it comes to repairs, sometimes the shop that charges the most to do the job is the least expensive, because they fix it right the first time. You get what you pay for. I just hope for your sake that this just doesn't turn out to be another :poster_oops: that needs to be done over.
 
Any recommendations on this additive?

Joe

Yes... Don't use it. It will swell all the rubber seals in the engine, and in the end, when you finally get around to fixing the rear main seal, you will also be replacing the front engine seal and all the valve seals, because they will look more like sponge rubber than a rubber seal. In the old days, the quick fix was to put a few ounces of brake fluid into the engine oil. People did this with engines in cars that leaked oil that they were trading in. There is no such a thing as a mechanical fix in a can. It is just usually a quick fix that doesn't work in the long run. If this were a daily driver that needed to last another year, then I would say use the quick fix, and if it doesn't' work, the car is going to be gone in a year, so who cares. Since we plan on keeping our collector cars for a long time, then fix it correctly the first time. I know a number of people in this club that look for the cheap remedy only to have to fix it more than once. Most often when a rear main seal starts leaking, the engine is due to come out for a major overhaul anyway, because of age and use.
 
Yes... Don't use it. It will swell all the rubber seals in the engine, and in the end, when you finally get around to fixing the rear main seal, you will also be replacing the front engine seal and all the valve seals, because they will look more like sponge rubber than a rubber seal. In the old days, the quick fix was to put a few ounces of brake fluid into the engine oil. People did this with engines in cars that leaked oil that they were trading in. There is no such a thing as a mechanical fix in a can. It is just usually a quick fix that doesn't work in the long run. If this were a daily driver that needed to last another year, then I would say use the quick fix, and if it doesn't' work, the car is going to be gone in a year, so who cares. Since we plan on keeping our collector cars for a long time, then fix it correctly the first time. I know a number of people in this club that look for the cheap remedy only to have to fix it more than once. Most often when a rear main seal starts leaking, the engine is due to come out for a major overhaul anyway, because of age and use.

Paul is correct on what he said. We have good luck with this stuff for small leaks in engine and power steering components. www.seallube.com States not to be used in brake systems. Called seal lube. Quick fix but as Paul said in long run you will have to fix it if keeping along time. :applause:
 
Paul is correct on what he said. We have good luck with this stuff for small leaks in engine and power steering components. www.seallube.com States not to be used in brake systems. Called seal lube. Quick fix but as Paul said in long run you will have to fix it if keeping along time. :applause:

I will have the oil changed in order to get that stuff out of there. :D

Do you think perhaps the seal started leaking because I have been using Marvel's Mystery Oil in the CRITERION trying to free up a stuck lifer?
 
The seals leak because they are old and get brittle, along with the fact that the engine is worn internally, and the pressure in the crankcase is beyond what the seal can hold. Draining the oil at this point isn't going to make one bit of differance. Once you put the chemicals in, they start woring immediately. Start saving up your pennies, and plan on having the engine rebuilt. Figure aobut $5000 - $6000 to have it done properly. However, knowing you, I am certain that you will find someone to do it for less than half of that.
 
pressure in the crankcase is beyond what the seal.

So I guess the first step would be to replace the PVC valve to reduce the crankcase pressure? It's only got 50,000 miles on it. I have to remove the intake and replace a stuck lifter soon anyways since the oil additives did not work. I hope to paint the engine area when we attack the lifter issue. Can only do one ambulance at a time and the LIFELINER takes priority getting ready for Ohio 2011.

No rest for the weary!
 
Changing the PCV valve isn't going to solve the problem of worn rings.

It doesn't have worn rings Paul. It does not burn oil whatsoever, compression is strong, and the engine runs like a scared cat. The only issue is the new oil leak and the lifter that has been clicking since I got it. :D I've had the engine running with the oil cap off and I get no blowby or crankcase gases at all.
 
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