Who makes the best main seal?

[47heaven]

The main seal is starting to show signs of leaking, which I think would be kind of odd for only being on the engine for four years. I don't know what brand seal was installed when the engine was rebuilt, but apparently it wasn't a good one if it's leaking now. So, since it looks like main seal replacement will be in the works in the upcoming few months, what manufactuer or brand do you recommend that's been known for better quality and having longer life?

[Don Coatney]

Zactly how much is it leaking? Zactly how much will it cost to replace it? Zactly what does a quart of oil cost? Zactly how long will the new seal last if you replace it?

All 63 year old cars leak oil.

[ptwothree]

And, I'd like to hear opinions on which seal works better...neoprene or rope.

[hkestes41]

IF you are using the rope seal check these out http://bestgasket.com/fanfare.asp

Here is a review of their product in Hot Rodder Mag http://www.streetrodderweb.com/tech/0810sr_bestgasket_rope_seals_ford_y_block/index.html

[47heaven]

Zactly how much is it leaking? Zactly how much will it cost to replace it? Zactly what does a quart of oil cost? Zactly how long will the new seal last if you replace it?

All 63 year old cars leak oil.

Let's just say I'm putting in a quart every two weeks. Too much leaking for me, not to mention $$$ to waste

[Andydodge]

the problem is that we, mopar morons don't have a lot of choice now, I would think that there might be only 1 or 2 companies making gaskets & seals for our cars and generally speaking they are probably all as good as each other.....the problem is that you need to check exactly what type of seal you have, is it all there, etc etc.......I replaced the rear main seal in my 41 Plymouth, ordered a rope seal as that what it should have had but when I dropped the sump and checked what was there it has a neoprene seal.......except the the previous owner hadn't bothered to install the little "ears" that fit either side of the seal so there was a gap when the rear main was bolted up......lol........put a pair of these little critters on and its cut the oil loss from there........still have to do the timing cover seal........lol........andyd

[Don Coatney]

Let's just say I'm putting in a quart every two weeks. Too much leaking for me, not to mention $$$ to waste

My guess is a shop would charge upwards of $400 bucks to replace the seal. If a quart of oil costs two bucks then you are spending $52 bucks a year on oil. Does that sound about right to you?

[Plymouthy Adams]

Don is explaining the other green effect..it is not so much you are dripping the oil as contaminant and thus the green earth issue but the cost of oil compared to the labor charge that affects the green in the wallet..

[1flipdog]

And every time you park in a lot you have to walk through oil that eats the blacktop up. REPAIR IT

[michael.warshaw]

i dont know how the number 400 number came up, take the car to some repair shops and get some quotes, its that easy. or attempt it yourself if you feel you have hte skill, im of te type to pay and have it done by a professional. where i live in metro ny, the price of everything is outrageous you mihgt be better off to just keep throwing oil in, remember its just a old car.

[Don Coatney]

Back when I was a kid it was common practice for the local governments to spread used motor oil on the dirt roads to knock down the dust.

[Young Ed]

Now you can buy valvoline "green" oil thats 1/2 recycled oil and it costs more than the not previously used stuff!

[Don Coatney]

Now you can buy valvoline "green" oil thats 1/2 recycled oil and it costs more than the not previously used stuff!

There is a green cost to go green. When I was a kid some gas stations sold Re-Refined oil (this means they ran the used oil through a filter) for ten cents a quart.

[Young Ed]

There is a green cost to go green. When I was a kid some gas stations sold Re-Refined oil (this means they ran the used oil through a filter) for ten cents a quart.

Well aware of that. Every payday Dad would buy I think 2 quarts of re-refined oil for the 51 and I think 8 gallons of gas for 2.50. Something along those lines anyways.

[Dan Hiebert]

Back when I was a kid it was common practice for the local governments to spread used motor oil on the dirt roads to knock down the dust.

My D24 reaped the benefits of that from its life as a new car in New Mexico and west Texas. "Fun" to scrape off, but pristine underneath. (Still some spots I haven't gotten to, yet.)

[TodFitch]

Back when I was a kid it was common practice for the local governments to spread used motor oil on the dirt roads to knock down the dust.

That type of thing stopped when they found they couldn't trust contractors to use just used motor oil. For example: https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Times_Beach,_Missouri

[TodFitch]

There is a green cost to go green. When I was a kid some gas stations sold Re-Refined oil (this means they ran the used oil through a filter) for ten cents a quart.

If I recall correctly, the market for "re-refined" oil disappeared when rules were issued that required it to be called "previously used" or some such. Still just as good (or bad) for your car as before but with a scary name was no longer marketable.

[Young Ed]

If I recall correctly, the market for "re-refined" oil disappeared when rules were issued that required it to be called "previously used" or some such. Still just as good (or bad) for your car as before but with a scary name was no longer marketable.

Oh but its back. The new valvoline green oil is 50% re-refined.

[meadowbrook]

Is there a trick to replacing this rear main seal? On my '50 Meadowbrook's 230, I pulled the trans and fluid coupling and replaced both halves (all bolted.) I had to drop the rear most bearing cap (that thing is HUGE!!!) (sorry, used to work on Air Cooled VW's )

I did it all very cafefully but ended up with 2 leftover bits of 'black spaghetti' looking things. I think I still leak oil from there. I guess there needs to be some means of sealing the little gaps between the 2 halves of the seals (neoprene), an I just used a bit of RTV.

[Andydodge]

See those little bits of black spaggetti?........see that gap between the 2 halves of the seal?.....................from your description those "spaggetti" things are the "ears" that help stop the oil.......have you a workshop manual?........andyd

[Don Coatney]

Time to cut through the crap. Who here has a Mopar flathead 6 that does not leak oil? Please post pictures to prove it! In my 50 years of dealing with these engines I have never seen one that does not leak.

[TodFitch]

Time to cut through the crap. Who here has a Mopar flathead 6 that does not leak oil? Please post pictures to prove it! In my 50 years of dealing with these engines I have never seen one that does not leak.

I've always had some leak. However I did at one time have it down to a manageable 1 qt every 2000 miles or so and some day I'd like to get it back to that. At present I have a leak at the front of my engine (maybe more but oil from that obscures other sources) that will require major effort to get to. So I feed it oil.

I keep telling myself that someday I'll have the time and motivation to pull the hood, pull the front sheet metal, pull the radiator, pull the front engine mount and get to the leak. Seems like you guys with newer cars have easier access to the chain case cover since you can pull the radiator without pulling the front sheet metal and hood. Fixing the leak was on my list for last winter. But I spent the time skiing instead.

[Dodgeb4ya]

All 6 cylinder MoPar flathead rear mains leak-but shouldn't leak much at all after a proper engine rebuild or front/rear seal replacement. 1 or 2 small drops after a good long freeway drive. Now on a high mileage car-lotsa leakage. Th Chrysler straight eights wont leak at all if done right.

Oh and I remember when I was a kid back in the 30's Re-Refined oil was 15 cents a quart!

Bob

[55 Fargo]

Now you can buy valvoline "green" oil thats 1/2 recycled oil and it costs more than the not previously used stuff!

Just buy WalMart Super tech, it is all re-refined(recylcled oil).

I would check out all the usual flathead leak spots, and hey it's your Coin Darren, either get it fixed, or keep buying the oil.

Hey how about some STP to thicken things up a bit................LOL

[fedoragent]

Gents,

I was driving the car on the freeway and lost about a quart. I think it is Rear Main Seal time...and while under there...get a few other things taken care of. I know I'm going to buy the BEST GASKET brand...but it shows an Internal and an External. My Mopar Master Parts list only lists the rope. Which one should a guy get?

http://bestgasket.com/engine_catalog_years.asp?YearsCID=1935-59%20Plymouth%20201-218-230.......[523]

Should the rope just suffice? Or should I get the inside AND outside gasket? Please advise guys. I'd like to get these and put these in before I spend too gd much on oil. And no, it isn't 2.00 a quart.

Thanks ahead of time,

Jon