Jump to content

Replacing rear main oil seal


Mortimer452

Recommended Posts

35 minutes ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

A floor jack is a fools way to pull a heavy trans which is what is in your Dodge.

I am going to have to kindly disagree here. A transmission jack is very good and a requirement for a busy shop.

For the individual working at home, a transmission jack imho is a luxury.

We just need to be creative ... I have seen some tranny jacks that were a total joke and felt sorry for the owner.

My old 1960 sweptline I wrapped a chain over the cab and through the windows, and then a come along from the chain to raise the old heavy 4 speed, was pretty uneventful clutch repair.

Since it was a truck to haul garbage with, I did not protect the paint, pretty sure it never scratched the paint.

 

With my 1987 Ford 3/4 ton work van, I swapped the C6 trans out with a floor jack. I admit it took a couple hours in the dirt. I laied a piece of plywood down for the jack to roll on. Then I strapped a piece of plywood on top of the jack for the trans to sit on. I could then raise and lower it and move it back and forth, then I spent a hour setting the transmission on the plywood at just the right angle,  using blocks of wood and when I finally got it where I wanted it, I just rolled the jack forward and stabbed it to the engine. Easy peasy.

 

Now if I hired a mechanic at $100 per hour and he was doing what I was doing, I would fire him on the spot.

But if working at home, main #1 thing is to think about safety. But creativity is useful.

A transmission jack is never going to be on my bucket list of tools, while anytime I look on facebook and see patience for sale, I will grab all I can get.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dodgeb4ya's summary is no small task. This is why my '53 Chrylser with the M6 tranny, and torque converter that shares it's oil with the engine oil,  still drips engine oil. I suspect the engine rear crank seal. However there is also 2 sandwiched o-rings that seal up the oil passages between the engine and the torque. Could be those.

 

I've been helping my local city control road dust with the car for 3 years now. It will continue to do so, probably until someday I get the gumption to pull the engine and rebuild it. The component weights aren't too intimidating. I've seen adaptors scabbed together for use on a standard floor type rolling hydraulic jack. The idea of putting my car down for probably months, deters me somewhat. LOL. A good winter project some day. Pull the torque, clutch, tranny,  and engine. Effectively opening a can of worms. Bringing endless anxiety,  waiting for both NOS and crap reproduction parts to arrive from multiple varieties of endless sources. Doing my part to keep the freight companies profitable. Then I have a car that does exactly what it does today except not drip any oil, nor blow any smoke!....It'll be a while yet before I get to it.

Edited by keithb7
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Los_Control said:

I am going to have to kindly disagree here. A transmission jack is very good and a requirement for a busy shop.

For the individual working at home, a transmission jack imho is a luxury.

We just need to be creative ... I have seen some tranny jacks that were a total joke and felt sorry for the owner.

My old 1960 sweptline I wrapped a chain over the cab and through the windows, and then a come along from the chain to raise the old heavy 4 speed, was pretty uneventful clutch repair.

Since it was a truck to haul garbage with, I did not protect the paint, pretty sure it never scratched the paint.

 

With my 1987 Ford 3/4 ton work van, I swapped the C6 trans out with a floor jack. I admit it took a couple hours in the dirt. I laied a piece of plywood down for the jack to roll on. Then I strapped a piece of plywood on top of the jack for the trans to sit on. I could then raise and lower it and move it back and forth, then I spent a hour setting the transmission on the plywood at just the right angle,  using blocks of wood and when I finally got it where I wanted it, I just rolled the jack forward and stabbed it to the engine. Easy peasy.

 

Now if I hired a mechanic at $100 per hour and he was doing what I was doing, I would fire him on the spot.

But if working at home, main #1 thing is to think about safety. But creativity is useful.

A transmission jack is never going to be on my bucket list of tools, while anytime I look on facebook and see patience for sale, I will grab all I can get.

A lot of DIY'ers have pretty small saddle floor jacks.  Not really stable enough to safely hold a  big bulky transmission and have accurate control of it as it is being removed or installed IMO. 

There are transmission adapters that mount onto  floor jack saddle mount and not really too expensive. Much safer than just using the jack with a strap.

It would be a bad day to remove  transmission and have it come loose from the floor jack and snip off a finger or break a arm.

Yes there are other ways but a first timer getting into serious heavy lifting might better not try the floor jack method on his first trans job.

Much safer to remove a M6 with the Fluid drive coupling renting a trans jack. The trans cannot hang in a FD it will damage the bellows seal assembly.

Yes there are some Chinese garbage ones that are about worthless...but safer than a floor jack.

I used to rent a trans jack when I was 16 after having a trans come out and land on my hand.

I am just posting on safety referring not to do like the video showed.

And yes there are other ways...but you do need total control when the trans comes out and goes back in... easily.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or you can scab together a tranny cradle out of scraps in the shop that looks wretched but works wonderfully:

 

tranny-cradle.jpg.ef246c4ba9368c05d153fbdd55a3e425.jpg

 

I just put the jack under the transmission while it was still in the car and started adding scraps until the jack cradled the trans. The hole is for that little bump on the bottom of the three-speed. The 2x2 props up the shift housing and keeps the trans from falling off the cradle. Putting the jack in juuust the right place keeps everything balanced.  ?

 

And you need guide pins:

 

transmission-8.jpg.1132afb0573d888a282e908af438f62a.jpg

 

A couple of flats filed on the pins make it easy to use a wrench.

Edited by Sam Buchanan
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Back when I converted my Diplomat to stick I replaced the two lower bolts with appropriate length dog point studs.  They functioned as both the alignment and fastening device.  I wonder if we can do something similar here?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Thats not a rear main seal. Thats a splash/dust cover I believe. If oil is dripping out of it, it’s because the rear main engine seal is just above that piece in your photo. Oil from the rear main seal drips down on it, the drips off it, to the ground. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, keithb7 said:

Thats not a rear main seal. Thats a splash/dust cover I believe. If oil is dripping out of it, it’s because the rear main engine seal is just above that piece in your photo. Oil from the rear main seal drips down on it, the drips off it, to the ground. 

It is positioned right at the back of the crank and looks the same as the ones with the 3 screws but has 6.

0CBCD0E2-50A2-48AE-A7EC-257841B93DAC.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That’s interesting. That’s new to me. I’ve not seen an old Mopar rear seal  like that before. Stock engine in your ‘50 Windsor? 

 

Sorry I can’t help. Hopefully someone will chirp in. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, keithb7 said:

That’s interesting. That’s new to me. I’ve not seen an old Mopar rear seal  like that before. Stock engine in your ‘50 Windsor? 

 

Sorry I can’t help. Hopefully someone will chirp in. 

Thanks Keith it’s a flat 6 I just bought a month ago the previous own did a frame off restoration on it so I’m not 100% on what year the engine is.  The drivetrain looks identical to my 47 though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

Terms of Use