rear main seal? (1 Viewer)

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bluecruiser

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After my 1000 plus mile trek to Moab and back, I now have an oil leak. Looking at it, it is behind the oil pan right where it meets the transmission. It does not look like the oil pan gasket, more like a seal (?) in between the oil pan area and the transmission. I will try to get a picture of it to post up..

Any idea of the amount of hours (repair shop) this job would take. I would like to get it fixed ASAP.

thanks
 
Oh crap! I hope these don't go in the 100's too! I'm doing the LX450 now. $40 parts and 9-hours labor. Hope it's something else.
 
pictures

here are a couple of pics...I do not think it is the oil pan seal...that is bad....
 
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There is one bolt holding a little door type thing on here...what is that...access to my problem??
 
The little "door" is the "flywheel housing undercover" also called the "hole cover" elsewhere in the FSM. I dont think it will allow you to access the problem but might get you a better view of it.

I don't think there is actually any oil in this cavity but most likely oil is leaking from the rear crankshaft seal down to this point. Looks like it will be a bear to get at. Removing either the engine or transmission will be necessary.

Shotts - don't go panicing after one isolated rear oil seal failure. Or we may end up having to call the 100 board statisticians who will be able to prove that a failure of this type is so rare and improbable that even bluecruiser shouldn't really worry about it.

bluecruiser - Miles? any hard knocks at CM07 ?
 
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No, I did not have any hard knocks down there...When I got home it looked like it had barely started because I could see the oil running down over the dirt from MOAB...it had just started, but it is pretty bad now... truck has 135000 miles on it...

Anybody have any idea of the labor hours for something like this? I want to take it in somewhat prepared for cost...

thanks
 
Shotts - don't go panicing after one isolated rear oil seal failure. Or we may end up having to call the 100 board statisticians who will be able to prove that a failure of this type is so rare and improbable that even bluecruiser shouldn't really worry about it.

:rolleyes:
 
No, I did not have any hard knocks down there...When I got home it looked like it had barely started because I could see the oil running down over the dirt from MOAB...it had just started, but it is pretty bad now... truck has 135000 miles on it...

Anybody have any idea of the labor hours for something like this? I want to take it in somewhat prepared for cost...

thanks

If it does turn out to be a very expensive repair, you might consider having my mechanic do it for you? He's doing my LX rear main. I can't imagine why he couldn't to it on the 100. He's done Rover's, etc, etc, etc. Labor rate is LOW! He'll be back from San Diego late this week.
 
I spoke with the mechanics where I work and they are able to access the Mitchell guide to labor times, TSB's etc. They don't work on Toyota's but they looked up the rear main seal replacement job for me.

That particular reference said the job was 7 hours...I guess that is better than the 10 I was estimating...:rolleyes:

I guess the front lockers get pushed back again.....IH8Repair's....
 
Going to a mechanic who just did an 80 rear main seal could be an advantage since the transmission is the same, the frame set up is similar and Toyota is known for sticking with what has worked for them in the past.

LX_TREME posted this picture of the rear main seal on an 80 in the 80 forum ... (looking at the rear of the engine from where the trans was)
attachment.php
 
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Going to a mechanic who just did an 80 rear main seal could be an advantage since the transmission is the same, the frame set up is similar and Toyota is known for sticking with what has worked for them in the past.

LX_TREME posted this picture of the rear main seal on an 80 in the 80 forum ... (looking at the rear of the engine from where the trans was)
attachment.php

So the seal is actually in the middle and it simply leaks at the bottom (gravity). ????
 
So the seal is actually in the middle and it simply leaks at the bottom (gravity). ????

Yes, The flywheel is removed on this picture but it spins in the "chamber" created by mating the engine to the transmission. My guess is that they don't seal the area between the two so that when you have a leak in either unit it comes out of the flywheel cover rather than flowing into the ajoining unit.

The "hole" in the lower part of the picture that allows you to see through to the oilpan is where the flywheel cover belongs.
 
LX_TREME posted this picture of the rear main seal on an 80 in the 80 forum ... (looking at the rear of the engine from where the trans was)
Is this the easiest way to change the rear seal, by removing the transmission?
Wouldn't it be recommended to check the bearing(s) as well, when the seal is worn?
 
Is this the easiest way to change the rear seal, by removing the transmission?
Wouldn't it be recommended to check the bearing(s) as well, when the seal is worn?

Due to the 7-10 labor hours to R&R the transmission, I'd replace the rear main bearing and the front transmission seal and bearing too.
 
I probably will have the bearings replaced while the mechanic is in there...I love the ever growing cost of this oil leak...:crybaby:
 
Just stick some of this oil on your finger and work out if it is engine oil or tranny oil first, also make sure you have a really good look around the engine/tranny bell housing to make sure there is no oil anywhere else. There is also a possibility I expect (I am guessing as I don't know this motor) that an oil leak up on the head under the valley cover can get past the starter motor and leak down to this area. just some thoughts before you pull it all down in case it is something else. I doubt it is but worth checking. My .02
 
Definitely oil..the picture looks kind of reddish but it is not...thanks
 
Any update/news here?
 
Anyone else have this pop up?

About to turn 165k and had her in for a dealer oil change today. Said that I had a rear main seal leak, and T-case was "starting" to leak.

Crawled under it and could find either.

Guess I'll keep an eye on the oil level, but not about to drop the $4k they quoted to fix both.
 

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