I have a question about a leaking oil seal in my friends car. The rear oil seal is leaking & we need to know if the seal can be changed with the motor in the car? Its a two piece oil seal. When u rev the motor with a load on it the oil just starts to push out the rear seal. In neutral it doesn't leak! A mechanic told him that who ever put his motor together used a "low tension rear main seal ". What the hell is that?
njdaewoo

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86 Tramaro 90% Trans Am/ 10% IROC/Z (nose, hood,& fenders)
Trans Am Mods as of 1/10/01
3inch
T.E.S/Flowmaster setup,gutted cat,gutted maf,relocated mat,373 gears,upgraded factory chip,255 lph walpro f/pump & throttle body coolant bypass
njdaewoo@excite.com
New mods as of 6/10/01:
383sb engine
Comp Cam Xteme XR264hr-12
smog pump by-pass

 

Engine's gotta come out.

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'87 Bird 350 .060 over 700R4 + Lots more

 

why do u say that? Do the crank have to be removed?

 

you can do it in the car. there is a tool made by lisle or kd called a sneaky pete for this. it isn't easy but it's better than pulling the engien most of the time.

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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd
MM Black Diamond 538 F&AM

 

This must be some tool. What are you going to do with the Torque Converter, Trans? If you do take the Trans out be careful with the Cross member bolts, because they've been known to seize and twist off. Use an impact gun before you try the breaker bar.

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'87 Bird 350 .060 over 700R4 + Lots more

 

Its a 2-piece rear main, you can take the oil pan off without removing the tranny (but the starter and y-pipe have to come off), and then take the main cap off and replace the seal after that. Ive done it before myself.

 

why do u have to take the starter off? It has nothing to do with the oil pan or main bearing cap. How do you replace the top half of the seal(section in the block)? Is it something that a novice mechanic can do with home/garage tools or do special tools need to be purchased?
About that low tension oil seal, do such a thing exist? If so why would anyone put a part like that in a car?
thanx
njdaewoo

 

You have to take the starter off to get the oil pan off. Trust me.

As for the top half, that depends on the car. Some you can push the other half out easily with a small screwdriver and it will slide right out. Others you will need the tool ede is talking about.

Never heard of a low tension seal.

 

Are ya sure that it isnt the back of the manifold leaking?

Kat

 

Or maybe valve covers.

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'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
FLOWMASTER, NO CAT
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
2:73 GEARS
Rebuilt 700R4, with manual valve body
B&M Megashifter
Soon to be installed
3:73 Richmond Gears and 3" Hooker Aero Chamber
15.61@ 95.2mph G-Teched, need tranny work
"There is nothing more addicting than speed"

 

First off, what are we working on??

Some cars you can just pull the pan and get to the rear bearing cap and replace the seal.


Other cars its easier to remove the engine.

If its a rope seal, its a PITA, if its a rubber lip seal its not bad at all, like Madmax said, just push the top half with a small screwdriver and pull it from the other side with some needlenose pliers.

Just MAKE SURE you don't even touch the crank surface with any tools.!!

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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R
and 2 POS commuters...

R.I.P. #3
"He can see air"

[This message has been edited by Engineboy (edited July 14, 2001).]

 

The car is a 89 Iroc with a 383 small block & it looks like some kind of shinny adapter that allows u to use a 400 crank in a roller block. The adapter is really big like a one piece but it has 2 halves to it. The seal looks like the lip seal type. Me & my partner went at it yesterday, removing the oil pan ETC.When we finally got to the adapter I could rock the seal up & down /left & right . Any one have any idea why the seal moves around so much? The motor is about 1 1/2yrs old.
Do the adapter need some special oil seal or will any oil seal work?
thanx
njdaewoo

 

Well I think youve found the problem, it shouldnt move around like that at all.

Its been quite a while since I sold parts, but there *may* be an oversize rear main seal available but I dont think that would fix the right-left movement of the seal, only the up-down. What brand is the adapter? I'd be calling them.