uptownsamcv

i am in the process of pulling my tranny and i definately want to the rear main seal while the tranny is out. i was wonderign if i would be able ot change the rear main seal on its own than do the oil pan once the tranny is installed and i have the motor and tranny held up with the 2 upper mounts??

Augustus Maximus

iTrader: (6)

Rear main can be done without dropping the pan.

tosheto

iTrader: (5)

I assume you are talking about 02 Maxima. Yes, you can do rear main seal and oil pan completely separate, but it will probably be easier to do the oil pan without the transmission. I do not understand why you want to put it in before you have done the oil pan.

uptownsamcv

im doing the clutch.

i was thinking i would do the clutch along with rear main seal. i was thinking that if i pulled the rear seal i would have to do the oil pan . but if i had to do the oil pan i wouldnt have any way to support te motor untill the tranny is installed and the upper tranny mount has it all supported.

rebelhell

iTrader: (1)

I've never tried it with a max but... In a toyota a did a clutch job on, I used a 2x6 across the fenders. Tied the motor up on that. (make sure you have something under the 2x6 to prevent scratched)

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

Swing set. Technically it's called an A- frame I guess. But, if you have an old swing set, you could make an A-frame, just have to weld a couple of braces in: a strong bar between each set of legs and then a bar from there welded up to the upper horizontal bar (no more than 1/4 of the horizontal length. Should be good to go.

And that's East Tn style mechanican!

uptownsamcv

i dont see an engine lif point on top of the motor. most f the cars ive owned had 2 hoist loops for pulling the motor.

im guessing ill have to do the rear main seal, install the clutch and tranny than do the oil pan once the tranny mount is reattached...

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

Wrap an appropriate strength weight bearing rope around the exhaust manifolds then up to a hoist attached to the a-frame. Rope won't scuff or scratch or leave impressions on parts of the engine/components along its path like a chain will. By size, the engine ropes I use are as strong as a chain equivalent to its size. Reality is, your not even pulling the engine with the rope, just supporting about half the weight, the other half can be maintained by the front torque mount. Naturally you need to get a rope rates at least 300-400 pounds. Your not going to be working with the rope as a single strand, at minimal you would be doubling it, using a section for the left and right sides (supporting 600-800 lbs) or wrap it in a way that there are two sections per side (allowing ability to hold 1200-1600lbs). So it's all in the rope and how you connect it to the manifolds. But definatley only work with what you are most comfortable with. If not comfortable with rope or using the manifold, then absolutely don't.

noahrexion

Might I just suggest something:

Buy an OEM rear main but don't plan on installing it, just have it at the ready in case. If it were mine (and I've made this mistake before and seen many other techs make it too) and I pulled the trans only to see an nice dry (dirty sure, but NOT leaking) rear main, I would leave it alone.

Not that you shouldn't trust yourself, but if the rear main ain't leaking, don't go looking for trouble by replacing it and either scarring/nicking or installing the seal a bit off kilter and then setting yourself up for a leak that wasn't already there.

Consider it...

uptownsamcv

the tranny isnt out yet but after i had the car towed home i saw a leak at the bell housing. doesnt smell liek gear oil or engine oil ( doesnt have a smell at all ) im hoping it was just fluid from the slave cylinder being fully extended.

one of my friends is a true believer in if it isnt broke leave it alone. i have the rear main seal and oil pan end seals on the way. although i wouldnt mind pulling the pan to check the rod bearings. ive been getting that quick one second knock on startups on cold starts.

tinng321

Hi,
I am also on the same boat as OP. Sorry op. I'm not trying to derail your thread. I have an 04 infiniti i35. Is the 04 i35 the same as the 5th gen max or 6th gen max? So, I went to get my oil change yesterday and the guy there told me I have oil leaking from the lower oil pan gasket and rear main seal. I stopped by a local dealer to get an estimate. He wanted $450 for the oil pan gasket and $750 for the rear main seal. I can probably do the work myself but I had a spinal cord injury 2 yrs ago which left me paralyze from the chest down. $750 for the rear main seal is understandable but $450 for the oil pan gasket is crazy don't you think? Can I still drive my car the way it is now until the weather get warmer? How difficult is it to do the rear main seal?
THanks,
Tin

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

It's as hard as dropping the transmission or pulling the engine. Remove TC/clutch and pressure plate/flywheel. Sad part is, the actual seal takes 5 minutes to remove, inspect area, then replace. There is a tool you can get that helps remove the seal to ensure no scraping/damage to anything (other than the old seal).

JSutter

iTrader: (46)

FYI the rear main seal is what seals the crank. No need to remove the oil pan for that. But, there is also an upper oil pan seal just below the RMS. Not sure if the pan needs to be removed when the trans is out for that one.

uptownsamcv

i thought because the main sealo nly comes with the metal housing once you remove it the crescent shaped pan gasket will ness up so you would have to redo the pan?

RR5

iTrader: (6)

My default reply, have you checked the FSM?

uptownsamcv

Fsm?

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

Factory Service Manual.

maximase86

iTrader: (24)

I just finished up yesterday doing a RMS on my friends car since we were in there for a clutch job. The job is easiest if you remove the upper pan. Since we had the transmission already off, we bolted chains to the upper transmission mount point on the motor with transmission bolts and used the cherry picker to support the rear of the engine. The front engine mount was left in place to support the front of the engine.

Doing the job with the man in place will be a major PITA since you don't have clean way to get the RMS out. The metal retainer bracket blocks any access to the seal itself. Plus since it's part of the surface that the upper pan mates to, not getting it back in right could cause a leak from the pan.