rear main seal (1 Viewer)

[AZcruiser]

As the description describes, is there a pan seal to check first? I was tryign to find previous posts regarding this - not much luck. A few of you have talked about a pan seal?? which is far less complicated and inexpensive. The oil is finding its way down the engine/tranny seam, drips alittle but mostly wet. Losing about 1 qt every 3-4k miles with no exhaust smoke.
Any suggestions?

Thanks
Chris
94LC

 

[GXO]

the rear of the oil pan often leaks...check that first.

You can remove the inspection plate (where it is most likely dripping from) and have a look to see if the rear main is the culprit...

It sounds like a pan leak to me.

 

[Riley]

I just noticed what I think is this inspection plate. A little 1" by 4" vertical plate at the back of the engine where it meets with the transmission. Is this the inspection plate?

I have a very slow leak here as well (mainly wet with a drop or 2). What do I look for when the plate is off?

It would be nice if it's the pan, if so do I just re-torque the bolts? or pull the pan and replace the gasket? ???

Pulling the pan off sounds like a bit of work if in fact it's not leaking from there.

 

[cruiserman]

The inspection cover is a 2x4" plastic piece that mounts in the portion of oil pan #1 that mounts to the tranny bellhousing. You can't inspect much from there but the bolts that hold the torque convertor to the flexplate, but if oil is coming out there, you'll know it's the rear main seal leaking.

Pulling the oil pans is not bad. Undo a bunch of bolts, and lever the main pan off the block while using the jack against the frame to push the pan off the block. IMO better the pan than replacing the rear main, which requires pulling the tranny or the motor.

 

[Riley]

Oh yea, I'm hoping for the pan leaking. The rear main will have to wait for years to be done as it's only a little drop every few days.

I'll try to pull the plate and see what I can and report back.

 

[cruiserman]

Well, I take that back about knowing it's the rear main if you see oil by the inspection cover. It could be leaking from the pan above the inspection cover. No real way to know without pulling the pan. There are 6 bolts that hold the main pan to the bellhousing.