I'm in the process of getting my '87 TA back to being a reliable daily driver. I bought it new (my 1st new car) but over the years it sat idle far too long. I've fixed a LOT of the common issues associated with this vintage car and it now runs, drives, and looks great. I have a small oil leak from the rear main seal. I'm in the process of removing the transmission and ordering parts fromAmazon (tail shaft plug and seal and crank main seal) but Amazon is telling me that I need a 2 piece seal. I'm pretty sure the 87 tbi has a one piece seal. Can I get some help on this please?

 

87 is one piece

 

That's what I thought. Thanks.

 

87 CAME WITH the 1-pc seal. Whether that's still what's there, there's no guarantees.

87 DID NOT come with TBI. If true, that's a red flag, to me, that you're dealing with somekinda mutt.

 

My bad. It's tuned port. My 82 was TBI. Thanks for responding. I see that Advanced sells a kit with a couple other gaskets. Would you replace with the kit or just the 1 piece seal?

 

Depends on what the other gaskets are.

There's a possibility that your leeeeeeeeek isn't the seal itself; it could just as easily be the oil pan gasket where it meets the seal housing, or the seal housing gasket. If it was me I'd have all of those on hand at least. It's MUCH eeeeeeeeezier to replace the seal with the housing off, anyway, which would necessitate changing those others out; at least the one between the housing and block. The oil pan one might be a one-piece, where you'd have to cut that part out of a new one, butt I'd change that out regardless. No sense doing all that work and then discovering oh crap it still leeeeeeks.

 

While you are awaiting clarification, delivery, and time, you might consider adding a seal conditioner to the engine oil to see if softening the seal eliminates the leak. I've had good success with only one product for that purpose - ATP AT-205 (I don't own the company). It has been successful a good percentage of the time in several challenging applications, like early Ford 302 RMS, finicky Honda power steering pumps, oil cooler hoses, Deere Pow-R-Trols, 4T65s, and early Oriental hydraulic jacks. I'm not sure I would use it in a higher pressure hydraulic system, but for dirty (relatively) engine oil it has worked more than once. Of course, it will need to be driven to work, so it cannot remain a garage queen and stop dripping.

 

I should have tried the seal conditioning additive 1st before pulling the transmission. It appears that my pan is the culprit. I've read some posts that recommend dropping the pan a little and applying a little RTV. There are no other leaks around the pan. Any further advice would be appreciated, with the exception of pulling the engine. I really don't want to do that to change the pan gasket.

Prior to cleaning

Oil pooling in flexplate cover and leaking through small hole.

 

Sounds great.

Think a step ahead of yourself though. What will you "want" to do when you put it all back together after pulling the transmission and twaddling around with some spooge, and it still leeeeeeeeks? Maybe even WORSE after you disturbed it?

Best to change out the pan gasket RIGHT, which is NOT to just shoot spooge on it and hope for the best (like, what are you gonna do if the gasket is cracked and turning to dust? not that a 30-yr-old gasket would ever do that; just sayin) and do it NOW, while it's as eeeeeezy as it's ever gonna get. Half-assing it is a sure-fire recipe for wasting all this time and effort you've already put yourself through, and then have to go back and do it AGAIN. Not the path a wise man would follow.