advice on changing rear main seal?

[White5.0]

my rear main seal is leaking pretty badly and i think im probably just going to end up changing it myself. if it was just a little drip here and there i could live with it, but it seems to be leaking out of there pretty well.

1. what type of rear main should i get? teflon, rubber, silicon? i think i had a fel pro rubber one in there and its not working to well lol.

2. should i use a rear main installer tool? when i put mine on the first time, i just used another rear main and tapped it on with a rubber mallet. could this be why its leaking? maybe i didnt install it deep enough/installed it too deep? only problem i have with buying one of these is that they are freakin $109 dollars and im not going to use it much at all in my lifetime.

3. any other suggestions/advice? i know that too much crankcase pressure will cause them to leak, but im not boosted or anything. i just have the factory pcv valve set up and i am running a breather filter on the oil filler tube (i removed the line that goes form the oil filler tube to the t.b.). rest of my mods are in my sig.


im just trying to do this right so its not leaking bad again cause i dont want to have to do this again lol. any help would be great! thanks!

[mustang50lx]

IMO just get the seal from Ford. Don't get one of those seals with no spring in it. I don't know what they are made out of but I have had very bad luck with them. (I had to redo a VW timing belt job because that POS was leaking) NAPA had that same style for the rear main on my Mustang as well as a regular seal. Be sure to check the PCV filter under the PCV valve. If it clogs it can raise crankcase pressure.

[INSANELY CRAZY]

i've always just used the oem replacement from autozone and had no issues. once you got the clutch and all off, just loosen the two 1/2inch bolts in rear of the oilpan pry the old one out and gently tap it in. i also used a rubber mallet.

edit.. oem from autozone has the spring in it.

[White5.0]

IMO just get the seal from Ford. Don't get one of those seals with no spring in it. I don't know what they are made out of but I have had very bad luck with them. (I had to redo a VW timing belt job because that POS was leaking) NAPA had that same style for the rear main on my Mustang as well as a regular seal. Be sure to check the PCV filter under the PCV valve. If it clogs it can raise crankcase pressure.

yeah i had one with the spring in it from fel pro. i probably just didnt put it in the proper depth. and all of my pcv stuff is brand new so its not clogged. at least it shouldnt be lol.

[White5.0]

i've always just used the oem replacement from autozone and had no issues. once you got the clutch and all off, just loosen the two 1/2inch bolts in rear of the oilpan pry the old one out and gently tap it in. i also used a rubber mallet.

edit.. oem from autozone has the spring in it.

did you just tap it till it was flush with the crank or what?

[INSANELY CRAZY]

yes, once its flush it wont go in anymore.

[97LaserRed]

i've always just used the oem replacement from autozone and had no issues. once you got the clutch and all off, just loosen the two 1/2inch bolts in rear of the oilpan pry the old one out and gently tap it in. i also used a rubber mallet.

edit.. oem from autozone has the spring in it.
x2. to save the hassel of loosing those bolts ill give ya my seal puller like the one we did for my front seal. i have no problem helpin you rip that tranny out. i just tapped mine in with a hammer. ive seen it done many of times. it cant believe it leaking that bad. i also just used a factory ford seal... i had no issues after i replaced mine

[White5.0]

yes, once its flush it wont go in anymore.

i see i see.


x2. to save the hassel of loosing those bolts ill give ya my seal puller like the one we did for my front seal. i have no problem helpin you rip that tranny out. i just tapped mine in with a hammer. ive seen it done many of times. it cant believe it leaking that bad. i also just used a factory ford seal... i had no issues after i replaced mine

alright sounds good. i may try to get it done this weekend but ill let ya know.

another thing im thinkin is that it is probably also my chrome oil pan. i know chrome leaks badly and the front of mine was leaking very slightly, so i put some silicon gasket maker on it and its fine now. so its probably a combo of the chrome oil pan and rear main seal, i guess ill just have to find out when i rip it all apart

[97LaserRed]

i see i see.



alright sounds good. i may try to get it done this weekend but ill let ya know.

another thing im thinkin is that it is probably also my chrome oil pan. i know chrome leaks badly and the front of mine was leaking very slightly, so i put some silicon gasket maker on it and its fine now. so its probably a combo of the chrome oil pan and rear main seal, i guess ill just have to find out when i rip it all apart
haha i would be pissed if i did all that work and it was just the pan. why dont you rip the pan off and reseal that and then see if it leaks and go from there??

[White5.0]

haha i would be pissed if i did all that work and it was just the pan. why dont you rip the pan off and reseal that and then see if it leaks and go from there??

well i have a fel pro 1 piece oil pan gasket....in the front it leaked where it goes down under the crank in a semi-circle. i put silicone in the gap where you can see the oil pan gasket on that semi-circle part. in the back, you cant see that part of the oil pan because the tranny and blockplate are up against the engine

[Balaska347]

Its probably not the brand of seal. This seems to be a common problem. I bet that chrome pan is your biggest problem. After you take it out just get it really clean and use a little black RTV for reassurance. And of course replace the seal.

[White5.0]

Its probably not the brand of seal. This seems to be a common problem. I bet that chrome pan is your biggest problem. After you take it out just get it really clean and use a little black RTV for reassurance. And of course replace the seal.

yeah this is what ill probably end up doing

[DMmustangLX]

haha i would be pissed if i did all that work and it was just the pan. why dont you rip the pan off and reseal that and then see if it leaks and go from there??


yeah i would check the oil pan :thumbsup: first my buddy thought his rear main was leaking and i pulled the trans and everything and it ended up being the oil pan gasket and i did it from the ground no lift that really was a pain in the ass

and yes i was PISSED lol