So when we were replacing the tranny, we found that the rear main seal was leaking. I got one from the dealership, but the parts guy (I don't think he was the main guy, but just the one who has to work on weekends...so he probably didn't really know what he was doing) didn't say a thing about the gasket at the bottom of the rear main seal . Does anybody know what this gasket is called or have a part number for it? I'll be calling the dealership tomarrow, and I really hope they have it...my car is in pieces. Thanks for any help you guys can give in better explaining what I need incase the parts manager is a moron too.

 

not sure what you mean by at the bottom of rear main. there 's an aluminum plate that surrounds the seal (seal retainer), it has a gasket. But you almost never have to bother that one, it normally doesn't leak unless something weird happens, like removing it just because... if you didn't remove it, don't. the only other gasket in the area is the oil pan gasket. the section that runs under the retainer. goood luck man.

 

Its got the actual seal, then the metal retainer (this is what they gave me), then under the metal part of the whole assembly that they sell as the "rear main seal" there is a rubber gasket that fits into the slot at the bottom of the RMS...that gasket is what I need.

 

does that gasket fit against the oil pan?

 

By oil pan you mean were you drain the oil from right? Because that is on the other side of the cross member. This is under the flywheel. The RMS forms the seal for the crankshaft, and I think this gasket seals the bottom of the block...it almost seems like it should have come with RMS (it's practically part of it).

 

vq oil pan is 2 part, lower steel w/drain plug and upper aluminum. the upper is what i'm speaking on. this part mates to the block. at the rear, the seal retainer plate seals against it. sounds as if you have already pulled the plate off. there should a gasket at the back of the block-to-plate (paper), and i'm not sure, but 1 rubber to the pan. i 'm thinking now this is the one you're talkin' 'bout, huh. rear oil pan gasket

 

Yeah that is probably it. So it's called the rear oil pan gasket?

maybe I can get some pics of it...it would take awhile though since I'd have to set up a cardomain site to host them.

 

the dealer always over sells if they can, and miss the necessary stuff. for those that may do the rear main seal soon, you only need the seal itself, thats the big ring.

terran-do you have a HAYNES manual? section 2b-20

 

I do, but not with me right now (it's with the car). Is that the part about the RMS, because that didn't have anything on this gasket thing. Thanks for all your help by the way.

 

ur welcome. oh yeah use the grey rtv that is sensor safe to seal that baby.

 

"oh yeah use the grey rtv that is sensor safe to seal that baby."

I'm sorry and I'm probably being really stupid, but I have no idea what you're talking about here.

 

to seal the gasket to the pan, not the seal.

 

What is "gray rtv"?

 

oh that, a sealant used on foreign engines. there are several colors and brands such as "permatex ultra black",red,gold,and gray. rtv means room temperature vulcanizing-fancy for it seal as it dries. some are not recommended to be used on some parts of the engine where chemicals from them can contaminate the sensors. so for in these areas they made a sensor safe rtv. check the seal on the oil pan, gray glue only, except at the ends. boy i wish i typed faster!

 

At first I had went to get the rear main seal from napa auto parts which was a big mistake because they didn't have the aluminum piece (in other words I paid $45 for a rubber circle!!). Then I go to the dealer and they had the aluminum but didn't have that other gasket that youre talking about. My mechanic just reused the the gasket on the old rear main seal and used some sealent on it to keep it in place.

According to my mechanic the hardest part of doing my requested clutch job was replacing the rear main seal. After him and and another mechanic spent 20 mins fooling around with it they were thinking of dropping the oil pan, but 10 mins later they got it in. I would suggest if anyone else is having their tranny dropped "professionally" to watch them do it and make sure they do it right if they let you in the garage.

 

doing the rear main seal is no big deal. I can't find my earlier post (with pics) but I know the writeup is still at vqpower.

The seal comes with the aluminum bracket. If you got the part at NAPA, you definitely got ripped because you can get the bracket WITH inner seal for less than $30 discounted (ie. JRNISSAN). Getting it on the crank can be tricky because the seal is easy to tear or may not go on flush--a pro really shouldn't have difficulty though. The inner surface is prelubed which makes sliding it on easier. Once on, it is a good idea to check that the inner surface is flush with the crank--go around it with the end of a paper clip.

I don't know what other seal you guys are talking about but I am puzzled when you talk about oil pan this or that.

 

It is the half-moon (U) shaped seal on the lower part of the rear main seal. I don't know the name of it, but whenever I call Nissan for it, I call it "the crankshaft seal that mounts between it and the upper oil pain located under the rear main seal". They find it exactly every time. There is also a similar one on the other side of the crankshaft located under the main pulley, similar in shape, but has a different size if I remember correctly.

 

it's the "rear oil pan gasket/seal".

 

Yep. Thanks alot guys. Got it all in and I am very pleased. If anybody is doing this it is part number 11121-31u10. We think this may have actually been what was leaking and not actually the RMS.

 

Say, could you post a pick of this part and where it is exactly? Is it only visible once you remove the rear main seal and bracket?

 

they are a PITA. one of my maxes is leaking from the same thing it's driving me nuts. the only way to get it done is to either pull the tranny and replace it or pull the lower and upper oil pans to replace it.

last resort is to pull both tranny and oil pans to get it done major work.

 

Sorry mishmosh...tranny's back in with the gasket and RMS, so their won't be any pics. You can kind of see it while the RMS and bracket are on, but you can only fully see it once it's out. It's almost like it's a part of the RMS (which is why I'm so p!ssed the parts guy didn't tell me about it).

 

My rear main seal is not leaking BUT there appears to be a small leak coming from what appears to be some type of drain plug at the top of the crankcase directly above the rear main seal. Looks kinda like the fill plug for the manual tranny. Take a look at the picture on vqpower:

http://www.vqpower.com/v2/modules.ph...howpage&pid=71

If you look at the very top of the first picture, that's what I'm talking about. The round plug directly above the main seal at the very top of the picture.

I have a small leak coming from there.

I have the 2000 fsm but can't figure out what this is.

I'm beginning to suspect that the leak is really coming from the rear main seal and possibly shooting up. I'm going to post some pics. But in meantime, I wonder if the thing I identified can leak??

Here's a link to a large picture. It is a 1meg file so don't d/l unless you've got broadband. http://web.tampabay.rr.com/maxgator It is dsc00205.jpg.

thanks a lot!

 

bump......

 

Dave Burnette solved the mystery. It is a "blind plug" and there's a gasket/oring behind it.

 

Hope you guys still reading this thread after all these years.

I had my rear main seal replaced last year at the dealer. Now my 95 max GLE has a minor leak again. It has about 1 or 2 drops a day, not big deal, but quite annoying for the dirty drive way. I checked back with the dealer, they said that it passed the warranty by 6 days...( I am sure the leaks happened prior to the deadline, I have not noticed earlier enough).

Anyway, I got underneath the car yesterday, noticed that one of the two bolts on the metal plate (I think is what you guys talking about) was not tight (I did not torque it, but it is definitely loose comparing to the other one), and I believe this is where my leaks came from (link to the pic below). So I tight it a little bit. I didn't tight it very hard, as I don't know the correct torque (also worried that the dealer might have already overtightened and screwed up the threads). Hope this stops the leak. If it doesn't, I am thinking about to replace the rear oil pan gasket (the seal you were talking about). Does anyone know whether I can just simply take off the half moon plate by removing the two bolts and replace the new gasket in place (with some sealant and re-tight the bolts), or I have take the tranny off like replacing the rear main seal?

http://picasaweb.google.com/xinxu88/...92636218213970

Thanks

 

Thank you for those pics...

I have a 5th gen and I seem to have a leak at the same place... mine is a 2001 gle with 167K miles and i see a drop of oil on that very spot about once a week.

Does anyone know what the black cover in the pictures is?

 

It is just a cover to access the torque converter. You can take it off, and probably see what's leaking.

 

EEEKK.. I'm looking at having to replace torque converter, RMS, or something. I don't know how to diagnose the problem >.< Any suggestions?

 

I'm currently staring at the problem you guys are talking about. Although I believe it is the bottom gasket (part #11121-31u10) that is leaking and not the rear mail seal. I got the new main seal and was going to but it in and the old one is held in by 3 14mm bolts and 2 rivet looking things. Has anyone done this repair before and can tell me what to do with the two rivets? I'm afraid i'm going to screw it up if i drill them out but they are certainly not bolt heads?

 

to kukx30de, the torque converter plate is only leaking because oil is getting in your flywheel due to a leaking seal either in your rear main or the lower gasket or there may be another place along the rear main seal plate that oil is getting in. The plate is not made to contain liquid as there shouldn't be any in there

p.s. I'm not expert mechanic but this is through my observations and feel free to correct me if i'm wrong anybody!!!

 

Are you auto or manual?

Could be RMS, pump seal (Auto), upper pan gasket/rtv. Is it oil or ATF?

 

I am actually looking to do the same fix in a 95 maxima 5spd. Can i just pull the 3 bolts and remove the RMS housing?

Im going to post a pic soon

 

Remove the upper oil pan to correctly replace