Scruit

K, the updtaeon my tranny rebuild is that I have done the following;

- Rebuilt outer CV joints and installed new boots (that p/s axle was a swine to remove because it had rusted onto the intermediate carrier)

- got the new clutch components all lined up ready to go in once the resurfaced flywheel is in place.


and here is my problem now. I removed the rear main seal retainer and tried to install the new one. Installing that s.o.b with the half-moon seal at the bottom is a SWINE without dropping the aluminum oil pan. Also, four times as I tried to install it I got nervous and pulled it back off to see the seal spring had popped off. If I get this in place and find that seal is leaking then I'll absolutely f-ing scream.

Whenever I tried to install it the half-moon woudl slip out of place. I now have it installed but he half-moon is STILL not in place properly. I want to just say screw it and leave it like that but I KNOW the little bugger is gonna leak like a new puppy left at home for 12 hours. Plus, I spent so much time screwing around wiht it that the permatex was sitting curing for 45 mins before it got finally installed.

So I'm gonna go back to it today and drop the steel pan/aluminum pan and put the seal in correctly. The way I figure is that it's gonna leak in one of 4 places

1 Crank seal
2 Retainer permatex to block
3 half-moon
4 permatex on the oil pans that I remove today

If i leave it as it is now then it could leak in either 1, 2 or 3. 1 or 2 would require me to repeat the whole tranny work. for 3 I woudl just drop the oil pan.

If I go back in and fix it again then it will only likely leak from 3 or 4 because 1 and 2 will be done right. 3 and 4 can be fixed in an hour's work with dropping the pans.

Plus, I need new belts anyways, and dropping the pans requires removing the belts, so I get a little 'discount on the work'

I guess it's like 1 hour's work now, or 15 hours in 6 months

ARGH!!!! Why can't this be simple?

Scruit

Quick update again... I dropped the aluminum oil pan and then removed the rear main seal retainer - the permatex hadn't set properly and the spring had fallen off the inside of the seal... I'll be putting it back opn as soon as I can replace the o-rings in the oil pan. I'll feel a LOT better about the quality of the repair now that this is repaired correctly...

DMaximus

My friend it would behoove you to remove the bottom oil pans to install the rear main oil seal properly. I just replaced the rear main oil seal on a (salvage yard purchased) engine. I ran into the eXact same problem you did trying to fit the rear seal in. After swapping engines and putting it back together the car leaks oil like a ****!!!

It was so bad that when I pulled my starter (a second ago) in preparation to drop the transmission, there was oil all over it. The messed up part about all of this is that becuz I changed the rear seal about a week or so before dropping the engine in the car, I can't remember whether or not I let the permatex sit before plopping it right on!

SO, I'm about to get back to work as soon as my baby-mama gets back w/ the 36mm socket to remove the axles.

DMaximus

Hmmm....I wonder...did you have to take off the crossmember that supports the front and rear motormounts?

Scruit

Yes - I did have to remove that crossmember because this was originally a tranny rebuild and you have to tils the engine down on the driver's side a little to let to the tranns clear the bottom of the fender.

According to the oil pan removal instructions you have to drop that x-member anyway.