front and rear main seal
Thread Starter
|
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
front and rear main seal
i have a 2000 4x4 360 sport 1500. i have an oil leak as well as tranny fluid leak. im just want to understand the front main seal and the rear main seal... what problems they can cause, replacemet of either or both. basically just a general understanding would be great. thanks guys.
Hall Of Fame
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12,204
Likes: 10
From: Gainesville, Ga.
some pics of the rear main are at the end of this...
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...ater-pump.html
front seal is seated in the timing chain cover. at a minimum, you'd remove harmonic balancer and replace seal. i can't remember if the seal is seated from the front side or the rear of the timing cover. i'd assume front.
rear seal is a 2 piece unit, in a groove of the rear main bearing cap. you can replace this by removing starter, dust cover, oil pan, rear cap, and loosening the other main caps. the old seal slides out of the groove and a new one slides in.
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...ater-pump.html
front seal is seated in the timing chain cover. at a minimum, you'd remove harmonic balancer and replace seal. i can't remember if the seal is seated from the front side or the rear of the timing cover. i'd assume front.
rear seal is a 2 piece unit, in a groove of the rear main bearing cap. you can replace this by removing starter, dust cover, oil pan, rear cap, and loosening the other main caps. the old seal slides out of the groove and a new one slides in.
Last edited by dhvaughan; Jan 8, 2010 at 07:26 AM.
Hall Of Fame
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12,204
Likes: 10
From: Gainesville, Ga.
removing the seal is the easy part.
the hardest part is removing the sumbitching ***damn starter. those bolts were torqued to about 150 pounds and its hard to get any turning room to work. it takes about 12 inches of 1/2 drive extensions to get out past the engine mount so you can turn the ratchet. 3/8 drive won't work because they twist too much. once unbolted, lay it on your chest and unhook the electrical.
for the seal, i was replacing oil pump so i removed it, then removed rear main cap. at that point, there is still a lot of tension on the seal, and it won't slide out. loosen the rest of the main caps a couple of turns and the crank will drop a smidgen. push on one end of the seal, and it will slide right out the other side. once it pokes out the other side, simply pull it out.
don't force it, because if the old one is tight, then the new one ain't going in, so just loosen the crank until it slides out easily. DO NOT SCORE OR SCRATCH THE CRANK. also note the direction of the seal. there is an inside and a outside and its easy to put it in backwards if you don't stop and CHECK. be GENTLE with the new seal. don't damage it, and don't cut it on the sharp edge of the block. once the seal is in, retorque the main caps. use a torque wrench and follow the sequence in the manual. those mothers are tight at around 85 or so pounds. take your time and do it right. the main cap calls for 'anarobic sealer' which i got at local auto parts store. i'm not sure how necessary that is, but the haynes manual called for it, so i used it. use the felpro seal. my result was great - no leak.
the hardest part is removing the sumbitching ***damn starter. those bolts were torqued to about 150 pounds and its hard to get any turning room to work. it takes about 12 inches of 1/2 drive extensions to get out past the engine mount so you can turn the ratchet. 3/8 drive won't work because they twist too much. once unbolted, lay it on your chest and unhook the electrical.
for the seal, i was replacing oil pump so i removed it, then removed rear main cap. at that point, there is still a lot of tension on the seal, and it won't slide out. loosen the rest of the main caps a couple of turns and the crank will drop a smidgen. push on one end of the seal, and it will slide right out the other side. once it pokes out the other side, simply pull it out.
don't force it, because if the old one is tight, then the new one ain't going in, so just loosen the crank until it slides out easily. DO NOT SCORE OR SCRATCH THE CRANK. also note the direction of the seal. there is an inside and a outside and its easy to put it in backwards if you don't stop and CHECK. be GENTLE with the new seal. don't damage it, and don't cut it on the sharp edge of the block. once the seal is in, retorque the main caps. use a torque wrench and follow the sequence in the manual. those mothers are tight at around 85 or so pounds. take your time and do it right. the main cap calls for 'anarobic sealer' which i got at local auto parts store. i'm not sure how necessary that is, but the haynes manual called for it, so i used it. use the felpro seal. my result was great - no leak.
Record Breaker
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,085
Likes: 2
From: Canada
Just to add another question, about average, how long would it take to replace the rear seal? Mine needs replacing and I'm not exactly the most "do it yourself mechanically inclined" individual.
