Ripped my tranny mount in half, could I change my rear main seal easily while fixing?
Thread Starter
Member

Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 265
Likes: 1
From: Spokane, Wa.
Car: 88 Camaro
Engine: 416 Stroker LS
Transmission: Magnum F
Axle/Gears: 4.11
Ripped my tranny mount in half, could I change my rear main seal easily while fixing?
Heyas TGO!
So, I was playing around a bit too rough the other day and next thing I know I went to launch and my shifter lifted up about a half a foot. I got underneath, put a jack on the tranny to lift it gently and the rubber mount piece that bolts from the T5 casing to the metal bar it sits on ripped completely in half. (not bad for a 305? :P)
Anyway, seems like an easy fix but I was wondering something. I've been leaking oil ever since I had some shop rebuild my T5 (couldn't find a T56 core around anywhere and my T5 was almost completely dead, had to do something)
Anyway, I'm pretty sure it's a rear main seal leak and my question is, how hard would it be to look at it, maybe even replace it while I'm swapping in a new tranny mount? I've never pulled a tranny off before, but I'm assuming that I don't even need to take it all the way off to change the seal.
Please post with any info or pics you can on rear main seal replacements. Thanks!
OHH, and BTW: I read somewhere about someone who had a leak from his "dizzy seal' that was causing oil to leak down over the bellhousing and whatnot. It wasn't a camaro he was talking about, but is that something that happens in our cars as well? Might that be something that would cause oil dripping off the bellhousing?
So, I was playing around a bit too rough the other day and next thing I know I went to launch and my shifter lifted up about a half a foot. I got underneath, put a jack on the tranny to lift it gently and the rubber mount piece that bolts from the T5 casing to the metal bar it sits on ripped completely in half. (not bad for a 305? :P)
Anyway, seems like an easy fix but I was wondering something. I've been leaking oil ever since I had some shop rebuild my T5 (couldn't find a T56 core around anywhere and my T5 was almost completely dead, had to do something)
Anyway, I'm pretty sure it's a rear main seal leak and my question is, how hard would it be to look at it, maybe even replace it while I'm swapping in a new tranny mount? I've never pulled a tranny off before, but I'm assuming that I don't even need to take it all the way off to change the seal.
Please post with any info or pics you can on rear main seal replacements. Thanks!
OHH, and BTW: I read somewhere about someone who had a leak from his "dizzy seal' that was causing oil to leak down over the bellhousing and whatnot. It wasn't a camaro he was talking about, but is that something that happens in our cars as well? Might that be something that would cause oil dripping off the bellhousing?
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 20,981
Likes: 11
From: Mercedes Norte, Heredia, Costa Rica
Car: 1984 Z28 Hardtop
Engine: 383 Carb
Transmission: 4L60
Axle/Gears: 3.54 Dana 44
Re: Ripped my tranny mount in half, could I change my rear main seal easily while fix
The transmission doesn't come out to replace the mount.
Thread Starter
Member

Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 265
Likes: 1
From: Spokane, Wa.
Car: 88 Camaro
Engine: 416 Stroker LS
Transmission: Magnum F
Axle/Gears: 4.11
Re: Ripped my tranny mount in half, could I change my rear main seal easily while fix
Yea. Was asking if checking on\replacing the rear main seal was an easy thing to do with the tranny mount taken off. Like, just unbolt the bellhousing bolts and slide it back a bit, or would it be more complicated than that?
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 20,981
Likes: 11
From: Mercedes Norte, Heredia, Costa Rica
Car: 1984 Z28 Hardtop
Engine: 383 Carb
Transmission: 4L60
Axle/Gears: 3.54 Dana 44
Re: Ripped my tranny mount in half, could I change my rear main seal easily while fix
An 88 has a 1 piece RMS, the flywheel has to come off.
Member

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 460
Likes: 1
From: Middle Tennessee
Car: '84 Z28
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: Ripped my tranny mount in half, could I change my rear main seal easily while fix
Sounds like a PITA to me, so if the flywheel has to come off, then so does the clutch right? Solid days work I'd say
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 27,881
Likes: 2,434
Car: Yes
Engine: Usually
Transmission: Sometimes
Axle/Gears: Behind me somewhere
Re: Ripped my tranny mount in half, could I change my rear main seal easily while fix
I live in Ohio. I'm going next door, to the west, to visit my neighbor. Since I'm already that far west and I've always wanted to go to Hawaii, is this the time to go to Hawaii?
About a similar situation.
It takes longer to crawl up under the car and jack the trans up, than it does to actually change out the mount. I don't believe it's possible to make it take even 30 minutes, unless you stop for cold ones in between every single bolt, and if you're even slower than me, which I doubt. You don't even have to take anything apart or disturb anything else if you don't just want to, all you do is unbolt the broken pieces which will then fall out, and bolt in the new one. I think you'll find that doing that is about .0001% as much work as changing the rear seal.
Now if you were changing the seal, it would be a good time to replace the mount; but not necessarily the reverse.
About a similar situation.
It takes longer to crawl up under the car and jack the trans up, than it does to actually change out the mount. I don't believe it's possible to make it take even 30 minutes, unless you stop for cold ones in between every single bolt, and if you're even slower than me, which I doubt. You don't even have to take anything apart or disturb anything else if you don't just want to, all you do is unbolt the broken pieces which will then fall out, and bolt in the new one. I think you'll find that doing that is about .0001% as much work as changing the rear seal.
Now if you were changing the seal, it would be a good time to replace the mount; but not necessarily the reverse.
Supreme Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,763
Likes: 4
From: Calgary, AB, Canada
Car: 1982 Trans-Am
Engine: 355 w/ ported 416s
Transmission: T10, hurst shifter
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt, true-trac, 3.73
Re: Ripped my tranny mount in half, could I change my rear main seal easily while fix
You can get a rag soaked in brake-kleen, and wipe the back of the china wall behind the distributor to see if it's oily there. Then go back the next day, after driving it (if the car is still drivable?), and wipe it again, to see if new oil has accumulated. If so, try the little distributor paper gasket deal.
If not, then the RMS is a bastard to do in these cars. You'll want to remove the trans, flywheel, and lower the oil pan enough to get to the rear main cap. I think you have to raise the engine in the bay LOTS to accomplish this. I recall it being a disaster trying to replace a 1pc oil pan gasket with the engine in the bay, I can't even imagine doing the RMS with the engine in the bay. Perhaps someone else can chime in if that's possible.
If not, then the RMS is a bastard to do in these cars. You'll want to remove the trans, flywheel, and lower the oil pan enough to get to the rear main cap. I think you have to raise the engine in the bay LOTS to accomplish this. I recall it being a disaster trying to replace a 1pc oil pan gasket with the engine in the bay, I can't even imagine doing the RMS with the engine in the bay. Perhaps someone else can chime in if that's possible.
Trending Topics
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 20,981
Likes: 11
From: Mercedes Norte, Heredia, Costa Rica
Car: 1984 Z28 Hardtop
Engine: 383 Carb
Transmission: 4L60
Axle/Gears: 3.54 Dana 44
Re: Ripped my tranny mount in half, could I change my rear main seal easily while fix
The pan doesn't come off to replace a 1 piece RMS.
Supreme Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,763
Likes: 4
From: Calgary, AB, Canada
Car: 1982 Trans-Am
Engine: 355 w/ ported 416s
Transmission: T10, hurst shifter
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt, true-trac, 3.73
Re: Ripped my tranny mount in half, could I change my rear main seal easily while fix
RIGHT, you said 1pc RMS... Ok, so that would be easier then. God bless GM for transitioning to the 1pc setup...
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Zachattack0925
Tech / General Engine
2
Aug 12, 2015 09:54 PM
Zachattack0925
Transmissions and Drivetrain
4
Aug 12, 2015 09:52 PM







