Leaking rear main seal

70redbee · Jul 31, 2013

Has anyone replaced the rear main seal in their 440 with engine still in the car? And what seal did you use FelPro, mopar performance or something else. What special tools did you use if any? How difficult is the job and did it fix the leak. I have done many before, but not with the engine still in the car, always on the stand. Thanks for the help.

hunt2elk · Jul 31, 2013

I did it 3 times on one of my cars and couldn't get the leak stopped. I finally bought a billet kit and that took care of the problem. You shouldn't need any special tools, but will have to take down the steering linkage.

70redbee · Jul 31, 2013

hunt2elk, where did you buy the billet kit and what makes it better?

Mr.SpeedFreak · Jul 31, 2013

Either 440source or Mancini, I bought mine from Mancini.
http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/index.html

They have a billet cnc machined retaining block and rubber seal instead of the wax-wick original seal. Heard a lot of people say they're worth every penny, I'll be doing mine this weekend

hunt2elk · Jul 31, 2013

If I remember correctly, I bought mine from Indy Heads. I'm sure 440 Source and Mancini sell great ones also.

'68 383 Charger · Jul 31, 2013

I used the Felpro orange seal, not the black one and the billet retainer from Mancini. you'll have to drop the steering center link to get the oil pan off. I used a small punch and just pushed the top half of the seal around the crank untill I could grab it and pull it the rest of the way out. the new one goes in just as easy but make sure it is facing the correct way, or you'll have a huge leak.

70redbee · Aug 1, 2013

Did you have to loosen the bolts on the crankshaft? Dig you use something like wd40 or something to get it to move easier? How hard was it to remove the top half of the seal?
Do you use sealer where the seal and cap halves come together? I just ordered the kit from Mancini so I will see. Keep the ideas and answers coming...you know the little tricks and experiences. While I have the pan off I want to install a 7 or 8 quart pan along with a windage tray. Thanks

'68 383 Charger · Aug 1, 2013

you don't need to loosen anything. just remove the retainer and push the top of the seal around the crank, it moves around easy. I did use a bit of RTV on the ends of the seal.

mopar367 · Aug 1, 2013

Another way to remove the old seal is to thread a drywall screw into it and use a slide hammer to tap it out.

68 Sport Satellite · Aug 1, 2013

Mr.SpeedFreak said:
Either 440source or Mancini, I bought mine from Mancini.
http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/index.html

They have a billet cnc machined retaining block and rubber seal instead of the wax-wick original seal. Heard a lot of people say they're worth every penny, I'll be doing mine this weekend

do you have a link for that kit? I looked on Mancini and couldn't find the billet kit with rubber seal.

Mr.SpeedFreak · Aug 2, 2013

68 Sport Satellite said:
do you have a link for that kit? I looked on Mancini and couldn't find the billet kit with rubber seal.

Yeah their website isn't exactly the best lol. The picture only shows the retaining block with side seals but the kit does come with the seal and everything

http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/bilrearmains.html

69roadr · Aug 2, 2013

Mr.SpeedFreak said:
Either 440source or Mancini, I bought mine from Mancini.
http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/index.html

They have a billet cnc machined retaining block and rubber seal instead of the wax-wick original seal. Heard a lot of people say they're worth every penny, I'll be doing mine this weekend

i need to have mine done as well. would you kindly post back on how it went?

bigblock · Aug 2, 2013

Ya'll ever heard of RTV silicone? Squirt that stuff in where the side seals go. Of course there CAN be other leaks on the back of the block that leak oil, other than the rear seal and retainer.

benno440 · Aug 3, 2013

if you find it is leaking after the swap still, it could be oil gallery plugs up top of the motor, I replaced my seals 3 times, even used the billet mancini one and it still leaks, but then I found it to be the upper oil gallery plugs, the grub plug wasn't tight. just a heads up, hopefully all is well after the seal change

MarPar · Aug 3, 2013

hey benno, where are oil galley plugs? up by the oil press sensor? my motor is still in the car and it's kinda difficult to see everything

Mr.SpeedFreak · Aug 5, 2013

69roadr said:
i need to have mine done as well. would you kindly post back on how it went?

Will do! I'll be doing it this weekend so I'll take some good pictures and everything too for anyone like myself that's never done one

- - - Updated - - -

bigblock said:
Ya'll ever heard of RTV silicone? Squirt that stuff in where the side seals go. Of course there CAN be other leaks on the back of the block that leak oil, other than the rear seal and retainer.

Personally if it were me, I would avoid using only rtv for the side seals. One of the reasons I went with the mancini kit was because it comes with rubber side seals unlike most of the other "seal only" kits I saw. I'd be worried about how long rtv by itself would hold the seal, but maybe I'm just being overly-cautious

Leaking rear main seal

70redbee

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hunt2elk

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70redbee

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Mr.SpeedFreak

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hunt2elk

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'68 383 Charger

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70redbee

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'68 383 Charger

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mopar367

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68 Sport Satellite

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Mr.SpeedFreak

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69roadr

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bigblock

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benno440

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MarPar

If it weighs, it pays

Mr.SpeedFreak

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