Rear Main

[Kilgore47]

One of the reasons for pulling the pan on the P15 today was to check the rear main seal.  When I would raise the front of the car oil would run out of the back of the engine.  With the pan off I could see a couple of places where the gasket did not seal in the corners close to the rear seal.  If the rear seal was bad wouldn't the fly wheel be covered in oil?  It is not.  And the clutch is dry.  These pictures were taken before I dropped the pan.  Guess I'll put it back together with a new pan gasket and see what happens.  Now that I know it's easy to drop the pan.  If I have to take it off again it won't be so grubby.  Everything will be clean.

 

I can fix that - I think

[Sniper]

I agree, probably wouldn't hurt to hose that area down with brake cleaner once you get the pan sealed up.  Just to check later if the rear main is weeping or not.

[andyd]

If you have got this far...with the pan off, I'd drop the rear main & check the rear seal condition......also check whether the main cap actually has the little side seals, one on each side.....there are 2 different types, similar to each other but differing shapes.....I went to change the rear seal on the 41 Plymouth I had which "should" have had the rope seal.....nope, no rope........it had a neoprene seal but more importantly it had NO SIDE SEALS at all so when the main cap was bolted up there was the neoprene seal around the crank but there was err maybe a 50 thou cap between the cap & the block..........lol..........not much but enough to let a reasonable amount of oil to seep past..........installation of the side seals made a HUGE difference...still leaked a little which was the worn neoprene seal but nowhere like before.......my Oz 2 cents worth.............andyd   

[Booger]

I know most of us would like to have spotless garage floors. Some are "leakers" some are not. replaced rear main 6 months ago. theres a little puddle.

cardboard does wonders  for your garage floor

[Kilgore47]

I have driven the car a few miles now with the new pan gasket and that fixed the major oil leak.  Turns out the rear main is not leaking.  That's a good thing. 

 

There was a small puddle under the car after sitting for a couple of days.  Put the car up on the end lifts today and that leak is coming from the transmission.  Fixing the leaks in the transmission will be next.  It's not a big leak so it may be a while until I get around to that.  Cat litter works good for small leaks also. 

[Los_Control]

Good on you for finding the problem.

While I'm working on my truck I see no evidence of past rear main seal leaking ... Some drips but nothing major to be concerned about.

And the usual cork gasket leaks around the pan .... It was wet but just dripping not pouring.

Looking at the rear pinion seal .... that baby been leaking for a long time before it was parked ... needs attention.

 

 

I expect to pull the engine & replace all the seals, rings, bearings ... since the rear main is not leaking I'm in no hurry.