Rear Main Leaking 302 should I Pull Engine?

Hello,

The rear main seal is leaking in a 74 302 that I installed in my 56 Fairlane a few years ago. I had the engine rebuilt in 06 but it's leaking from what I can see from the rear main.

Question, can you replace the rear main with the engine in the car or is it was easier to just pull the engine and do it that way??

Any advise would be appreciated!

Thanks

 

It dried out. If you could stand it, drive it more so it could leak & lube itself & freshen up.

If you replace it, dont let it sit for 6years again & dry out again.

 

Sorry, I was unclear. I have been driving the car for the last six years the leak has just been getting worse over the last few months. Even tried the Lucas Stop leak for the hell of it and it didn't help.

 

Guess you got to pull it

 

If it is a two piece seal, it can be replaced in the car. IIRC, this is a rope type seal. If so, the easiest way of getting the upper seal out is to loosen the other main caps to drop the crank. This will make removing and installing easier. Try and find a rear main seal removal tool or use a stiff piece of wire to pull seal out.

 

there is a tool called a "sneaky pete". most times if you remove the oil pan you can "sneak" the rear main seal out after removing the rear main cap. Lisle makes the tool that i have. Part number 27000, should be available at your local parts supplier or sears.

 

You can probably get away with just dropping the transmission but if it were me I would pull the engine and do more than the rear seal. It has been 6 years since the rebuild so it would be a perfect time to change the timing chain, valve cover and oil pan gaskets, etc, and to clean up the entire engine and maybe put some fresh paint on it. That way you probably can run it for another 6 years with fewer problems.

And yes, your 76 is a two piece rear seal, and NAPA carries a couple of different brands like FelPro and Mr. Gasket. BTW, here is something most people miss when doing a rear seal install:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/re... the main bearing caps&CJPID=4178066&cmpid=cj

In fact, I think I missed that step and have been chasing a persistent rear seal leak in my 331 sbf since I built it. Some day I am going to have to pull it out and do it right.


Don

 

depending on how close the oil pan is to the crossmember it would be easier to pull it couse youd have to pull the motor mounts loose and jack it up.

long story short its easier to do on a engine stand then on your back or on a lift

befor going ahead and pulling it make sure its not the pan gasket first they leak back there to and also the oil plugs around the camp plug sometime leak aswell as the cam plug theres alot to look for befor you pull it and replace only to pull it again

my $.02 hope it helps

 

This is what I was thinking as well. Seems like more work to leave it in he car then to just pull it out. Thanks for all of the advise.

 

It all depends on a few things.
1...can you get the pan off the engine with the engine in the car?
2..are you working in a parking lot or do you have a safe, warm secure place to work with an engine hoist?
Not familiar with SBFs [especially in a 56] but I've replaced rear main seals in chevy 4X4s in a few hours with the engine in the vehicle...would have been a waste of time to pull the engine.