Factory Rear Main Seal Retainer - Potential Problem

Changed the oil pan on my 426W for a max wedge unit. Previous pan / crank seal was leak free. After the pan switch, there was a small leak. Leak then got larger to the point that it needed attention. I suspected the oil pan gasket. After a gasket change and a visual check, I noticed that where the oil pan bolts thread into the factory rear main seal retainer, that one of the nubs / capped end which receives the pan bolt is broken through. I suspect that the oil leak issue I was having is related to this. I probably used a bolt that was a little to long and "popped" the end of the cap. Is it possible to use a specific sealant on the bolt threads to stop the leak?

Try "The Right Stuff" after brake clean and compressed air liberally applied.

It might be broken through inside to the crankcase and sealing the threads may not fix it.
Worth a try.

You can buy a billet retainer from Mancini's. It is a much better piece than the POS factory original. These have cured a couple of main bearing seal leaks for me. Plus, it has new threads.

Sometimes the gasket will leak over the retaining bolt holes. I learned to fill those cap bolt holes full with sealer, even/ flush with the pan rails.

These are not filled enough.

I agree fill the cap bolt hole recess. White Teflon (PTFE) sealer will seal the thread easily. I use on any bolt that goes into liquid, oil or water. Works everytime. Permatex Thread Sealant with PTFE 4oz
Doug

Yes this, ^^^^ Teflon Thread sealant. I have had two aftermarket rear seal retainers. Both varied in dimensions from the factory retainer & the seal would not compressed enough. Use factory retainer. There is nothing wrong with it.

After removing the oil pan, I found this little gem in the crankcase - it's the "cap" of the main seal retainer.
I decided to replace the pan bolts with studs, All studs were were installed with a drop of blue locktite, with the exception of the two pan bolt holes in the raer main seal retainer. I used a pipe sealant on these.

So now I'm pretty happy that I've found my oil leak.
I take the car on a 10 mile drive, drive her into the shop, go in the house for lunch, and after lunch I look under the car and you guessed it - way to much oil on the floor.
Put the car on the lift and I couldn't see where the oil leak was from. This didn't make sense to me. Then I thought maybe the oil pressure line on my mechanical oil pressure gauge may have come loose. Nope, but I did notice oil beside the other (factory) oil sensor. I removed it and put compressed air in the nipple and out came oil. This little bugger was the problem the whole time.

Problem solved. Thanks for all who responded.