Rear main seal leak and need advice

[AR67GTX]

I replaced mine yesterdayday. A 3/16” punch and mallet moved the upper seal around to where I could grab it with pliers and rotate it the rest away around to remove. I lubed the new one with Silglide and was able to push it in by hand without much issue. Offset it about 1/4”.

I used a bit of Super Glue to secure the neoprene (?) side seals to the retainer in place, some Loctite 528 on the end of the crank seal, and a thin smear of the Right Stuff on the retainer mating surface. I set the retainer in, pressing the side seals in with my fingers as it went in and snugged the bolt down but saw the side seals were just slightly proud of the pan surface (maybe 1/64” or less) and worried they had slipped a little so I pulled it back out. The seals were still flush at the upper end so I wiped the side seal lightly with the Sliglide and reinstalled - same result so called it good, torqued bolts down and filled the bolt recesses with RTV.

I haven’t done anything on the backside of the retainer side seals. Clearance to get in there is tight with the flywheel in. I may see today if I think I can ge a sealant tube up there high enough to lay a bead and smooth it with a pop cycle stick.

Then I’ll see what happens - either a hero or a goat.

 

[Beekeeper]

I replaced mine yesterdayday. A 3/16” punch and mallet moved the upper seal around to where I could grab it with pliers and rotate it the rest away around to remove. I lubed the new one with Silglide and was able to push it in by hand without much issue. Offset it about 1/4”.

I used a bit of Super Glue to secure the neoprene (?) side seals to the retainer in place, some Loctite 528 on the end of the crank seal, and a thin smear of the Right Stuff on the retainer mating surface. I set the retainer in, pressing the side seals in with my fingers as it went in and snugged the bolt down but saw the side seals were just slightly proud of the pan surface (maybe 1/64” or less) and worried they had slipped a little so I pulled it back out. The seals were still flush at the upper end so I wiped the side seal lightly with the Sliglide and reinstalled - same result so called it good, torqued bolts down and filled the bolt recesses with RTV.

I haven’t done anything on the backside of the retainer side seals. Clearance to get in there is tight with the flywheel in. I may see today if I think I can ge a sealant tube up there high enough to lay a bead and smooth it with a pop cycle stick.

Then I’ll see what happens - either a hero or a goat.

hope you will be successful. the center line
of the crank in relation to the retainer opening has been known to be off a few thousandths and in that case it’s probably best to leave the side seals out so the retainer can center over the crank journal
correctly. seal the sides with a good oil resistant sealer.

 

[Cranky]

Oh and I know some cranks Were made with the knurl cut backwards. Nothing can make one of those seal. Not sure if any 440s were but I do know a batch of 460 ford strokers did.

Sounds like a boat crank....if it's a twin screw, one engine is reverse rotation. Looks like some supplier saw an opportunity to get rid of a batch or someone didn't know about the 'backwards' knurl.

 

[70ChargerRT]

I replaced mine yesterdayday. A 3/16” punch and mallet moved the upper seal around to where I could grab it with pliers and rotate it the rest away around to remove. I lubed the new one with Silglide and was able to push it in by hand without much issue. Offset it about 1/4”.

I used a bit of Super Glue to secure the neoprene (?) side seals to the retainer in place, some Loctite 528 on the end of the crank seal, and a thin smear of the Right Stuff on the retainer mating surface. I set the retainer in, pressing the side seals in with my fingers as it went in and snugged the bolt down but saw the side seals were just slightly proud of the pan surface (maybe 1/64” or less) and worried they had slipped a little so I pulled it back out. The seals were still flush at the upper end so I wiped the side seal lightly with the Sliglide and reinstalled - same result so called it good, torqued bolts down and filled the bolt recesses with RTV.

I haven’t done anything on the backside of the retainer side seals. Clearance to get in there is tight with the flywheel in. I may see today if I think I can ge a sealant tube up there high enough to lay a bead and smooth it with a pop cycle stick.

Then I’ll see what happens - either a hero or a goat.

Good luck

 

[70ChargerRT]

One word. Fastfish

Just ordered his complete kit. Might as well try it.

 

[Billccm]

Is this the kit you ordered?

Product Page

 

[Billccm]

I have seen this kit recommended, also.

Billet Rear Main Seal Retainer, W/Viton Seal

 

[Cranky]

Just ordered his complete kit. Might as well try it.

Fastfish Motorsports?

 

[70ChargerRT]

Is this the kit you ordered?

Product Page

Yes that’s it.

 

[70ChargerRT]

Fastfish Motorsports?

Yes

 

[Cranky]

Fastfish Motorsports?

Nevermind....

 

[70ChargerRT]

Nevermind....

??? Yeah I got the old, I guarantee it won’t leak. I’ve put in over 500 rear main seals using the factory retainer and seals in these big block mopars over the past 30 years and haven’t had one to leak yet. I told him I guess I’m you’re lucky 1st SOB cause mines leaking.

 

[Cranky]

??? Yeah I got the old, I guarantee it won’t leak. I’ve put in over 500 rear main seals using the factory retainer and seals in these big block mopars over the past 30 years and haven’t had one to leak yet. I told him I guess I’m you’re lucky 1st SOB cause mines leaking.

Man, I installed LOTS of 'rope' seals in process overhung pumps in the refinery over the years until the EPA said we had to use 'mechanical' seals to reduce/omit emissions. The rope seals did very well but did have some leakage and that was mainly to make them last longer but if a machinist tightened the seal gland too tight, they would burn up fairly fast. They were essentially the same thing as the old style seals that the factory installed on their engines only there were several rounds of them. They leaked a little bit to make them last and they did a pretty good job until people spun the engines up to 6k+ etc. Some rope seals had graphite in them but don't know if the factory rope seals did......

 

[AR67GTX]

i used studs to guide my Hughes eEngine retainer but even the there was too much tolerance for the offset sel to slide into the grove. Both times I had to pry the seal back from the rear main a little and then they slipped right in.

The sealent nozzle was too fat to get up there to seal behind the side seals. I squirted a bead along a popcycle stick and laid it in the groove and pressed it in and dragged it off. Not pretty but I think I got in and pressed into the groove.

 

[70ChargerRT]

i used studs to guide my Hughes eEngine retainer but even the there was too much tolerance for the offset sel to slide into the grove. Both times I had to pry the seal back from the rear main a little and then they slipped right in.

The sealent nozzle was too fat to get up there to seal behind the side seals. I squirted a bead along a popcycle stick and laid it in the groove and pressed it in and dragged it off. Not pretty but I think I got in and pressed into the groove.

Hopefully you got it. I’m going to put this fast fish on Friday evening and late Saturday night I’m going to put the 0w20 in the motor and tilt the engine straight back and let the seals saturate and hopefully this time it’s good but I won’t be making the mistake of putting my gaskets and windage tray back on. Going to put a bead of right stuff on the block and then bolt the pan on. I just waisted over $60 of gaskets for nothing because it leaking again. Why didn’t I think of this before‍

 

[AR67GTX]

This may be a mistake but I’m going to use FelPro 1834 gaskets with steel reinforcement and use studs and apply the gaskets dry except for a little Right Stuff front and rear around the retainer and timing chain cover. It’s a new pan so it should be straight. If it blows up in my face and leaks liken a sieve at least I won’t have to fight it to get it off and spend a lot of time on clean up for the second time. We’ll see just how well FelPro’s instructions stand up in the real world.

 

[70ChargerRT]

This may be a mistake but I’m going to use FelPro 1834 gaskets with steel reinforcement and use studs and apply the gaskets dry except for a little Right Stuff front and rear around the retainer and timing chain cover. It’s a new pan so it should be straight. If it blows up in my face and leaks liken a sieve at least I won’t have to fight it to get it off and spend a lot of time on clean up for the second time. We’ll see just how well FelPro’s instructions stand up in the real world.

That’s how my engine builder installed mine and it did seep some at torque spec with a new pan. It did stop after I torqued it down some more. I tried the superformance oil pan gasket the last time and I personally liked the 1834 better.

 

[70rcode]

Hi B Keeper....My '70 factory assembled hemi (with rope & white side Seal sticks) had No noticable rear main leakage until After a teardown & replaced with Mopar brand black rubber Lip seal & new white Oem side sticks..No gooped-up RTV sealant or other thick mess was used in either....Both teardowns indicated Excellent side Seal swell/expanded sealing performance & of course Very easy clean up & replacement....Fast forward to 2022 & rope type seals Are available but Not Oem Swell type side stick Seals from usual automotive sources....For my upcoming hemi reassembly, I'm considering using CRC Teadit NA1088 controlled swell gasket material that's avail in various sheet thickness...This stuff closely resembles the Oem white side Seal sticks that worked & sealed the retainer sides for me...Unlike the avail packaged side Seal types, this NA1088 material will continue to swell & correctly seal with any normal retainer movement...




..

 

[Bee1971]

Guide studs installed

You can see how far off both style retainers can bee with the seals at the 9 and 3

I have had perfect luck installing the seals at the 12 and 6 - Zero drips on my Stroker motor , and two other 440 s that I replaced the rear main seal recently

This motor was line honed using a 440 Source Stroker Kit and Billet Steel Main Caps

 

[Gunner1]

Sounds like a boat crank....if it's a twin screw, one engine is reverse rotation. Looks like some supplier saw an opportunity to get rid of a batch or someone didn't know about the 'backwards' knurl.

Nope it was a competitor who goofed up on his first batch of big ford strokers. We found out when a shop customer sent it to us to see if we could figure out why he couldnt make it seal.