Replace the rear main "while I'm in there"?

[mtweller]

Crossposting from the 40 Tech to see the "local" opinion....

So I had to pull the tranny, but that's another story.

I've had an oil leak into the flywheel/bellhousing inspection plate for a few months now and I was sure it was the rear main. I believe she has the original '78 seal in there - at least it hasn't been done since I owned it in '95. Once I got in there, rear main was dry. So I cleaned and baby powdered it up, reinstalled the flywheel and ran it for a few minutes. What I discovered, appears to be seepage of the oil-pan gasket, jut above the rear bearing cap bolt head (that cap was really wet on one side when I first inspected for the leak, pass side).

Well, the oilpan gasket has only been on about 3 years, and is OE and was done right (so I thought). So I checked the oilpan bolts and found all of them took AT LEAST a full turn with one hand on the ratchet, not applying much torque.

Long story short, I'm not going to replace the oilpan gasket (again) until I see if tightening the bolts will fix the leak, but should I go ahead and replace the rear main while I have everything opened up, even though I am 99.9% sure it is not leaking???

R

 

[Fort Knox]

Like in your topic heading, I've always heard to do it "while you're in there". Pulling the tranny is such a pain. With my luck, I'd be in your situation and would decide not to do it, then it would start leaking a few months later.

I've got a leak that I think is my rear main that I've had for a while, but I'm just waiting til the clutch needs replacing to change it out.

 

[jfz80]

tough call..... I'd want to say yes. For a $7 part its a huge PITA to get to. But mine was fine and I totally F'd it up putting in the new one. Doh. Just one more trip to the parts store at that point. IF you have no knowledge of it ever being done, I might go ahead and do it.

 

[mtweller]

OE replacement was $47, w/ the ONSC discount

 

[krzyabncanuck]

Sometimes its if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Tough call because they can be a pain sometimes. I always order 2 of them.

 

[BigFisher]

I ran into this dilemma last week when I dropped the sm420 and t/c to replace a broken bellhousing. My rear main has always dripped a few drops when it sits; Not enough for me to justify the work. So I just replaced what had to be replaced and put it all back together (which was still a PITA).