Rear main seal or oil pan gasket? (1 Viewer)

[snowyrange]

From this picture does it look like a rear main seal leak or an oil pan gasket leak?

 

[Engineer8000]

This was my rear main leak, flywheel and inside of the bell housing were covered in oil. Check to be sure you don't have a valve cover or side cover leak that is running down there.

 

[77mustard40]

You've got to drop the pan to get the rear main done, parts are cheap so do both if you are going in

 

[73FJ40]

@snowyrange

From this picture does it look like a rear main seal leak or an oil pan gasket leak?
View attachment 2719626

The engine side of your flywheel looks dry. If so, it likely can't be a rear main seal leak.

I agree with @Engineer8000

I would check the side cover and valve cover for leaks first. The front of my oil pan had a drip, and it turned out to be the front bolts on the side cover were loose. Once I tightened them up (3 minute job), no more leak!

Rear main seal requires pulling everything out of the way (xfer case, drive shafts, transmission, clutch, flywheel, etc.) so even though the "parts are cheap", if you go that far, there's a number of other things that should be considered.

 

[snowyrange]

Thanks for the advice folks! I’ll take a look at those heads and see if I can find a leak there. Then move on to maybe loose oil pan bolts.

 

[1911]

Thanks for the advice folks! I’ll take a look at those heads and see if I can find a leak there. Then move on to maybe loose oil pan bolts.

The torque spec for the factory cork oil pan and side cover gaskets is only 90-something inch-pounds, so don't go crazy tightening them or you will squeeze the cork gasket out and make it worse.