Rear seal replacement in car?

[josh817]

Just a quick question, has anyone tried doing a rear seal without pulling the engine? I know the tranny doesn't slide back far.

 

If I have to unbolt the engine from the mounts and move it forward I might as well unhook the 4 or 5 wires and pull it. :angel:

 

Rear seal leaking pretty good out of the bell housing. No clutch slip. Lost about 2 quarts over 4000 miles

[Jester]

You could try it in the car first. If it doesn't work out, yank it. 

[josh817]

Tranny has to go back far enough to get the clutch and flywheel assembly off. Shoot I don't know if I even have the clutch alignment tool anymore.

[Doctor510]

Just a quick question, has anyone tried doing a rear seal without pulling the engine? I know the tranny doesn't slide back far.

 

If I have to unbolt the engine from the mounts and move it forward I might as well unhook the 4 or 5 wires and pull it. :angel:

 

Rear seal leaking pretty good out of the bell housing. No clutch slip. Lost about 2 quarts over 4000 miles

What car/truck?

[kelowg]

Pull motor,no point fighting it. If anything,pull trans out,then u have room to do in place.

[josh817]

Oops I'm sorry. 521.

 

I may just wait until clutch needs to be done. It doesn't slip, yet.

[4perrev]

Josh, you can do it without pulling the motor or tranny. You'll have to move the xmission back, so the drive line has to be removed. once that's push back, take off the clutch a flywheel (don't drop in on your fingers). Loosen the oil pan and twist it sideways (cause you can't get it out with the tie rods installed & they are a bitch to remove). You'll have to remove the oil pickup tube also. Once this is all done, you can take out the rear main cap to get to the seal. Remove / reinstall and try to keep it all dry! Don't forget the two wedge pins on the sides of the main bearing cap.

 

Put everything back together as you pulled it. If you have a clutch alignment tool, you're golden. If not, snug up the clutch bolts and push the tranny in to center the clutch. Slide tranny back and tighten to spec. Not that it can't be done installed, but it's under the truck upside down and sort of painful to do. I did it, cause I didn't want to pull the engine again. But, I also installed my tranny by myself with a floor jack and no clutch alignment tool also. Gluten for punishment. Good luck and God speed!!

[datzenmike]

Can't you simply drive a couple of wood screws into the rear seal and pull it out with a slide hammer? This is the only part that sees movement and wear. The new seal is just driven into place. The actual tool for the L series is ST 15310000 but if you take your time you can do it with anything similar. Use a lithium base grease on the seal lips.

 

...and be sure it isn't the oil pan gasket.

[4perrev]

Agree with the oil pan gasket. Hate to go through all that to find it was just a 10 dollar gasket!!

[josh817]

Thanks for the suggestion guys. I will see what I can do. You have some skills 4perrev if you did a tranny with the motor in. I originally had the wrong pan on my L20B. I had the L20B can and it was rubbing on the steering rod. Almost rubbed through the pan!

Long story short, there wasn't clearance. Once I switched to the L16 pan it seems like the motor can scoot 1" forward and I'm sure the tranny a few inches back. Honestly I picture it easier to pull the engine and avoid wrestling time!

[4perrev]

Either way, its up to you on what route to go. I currently don't have a cherry picker and use my car port rafters to lift engines out. Not the best, but in a pinch, it works. Mine is the original L16 so the pan was no problem, but yeah, I could see the 20 getting the rub. Good you caught to fast!