Oil leak

I have had a minor leak that was between the bell housing and the oil pan for a while now. I thought it was the rear main, but after dropping the oil pan I think it was just the oil pan seal. I've never replaced the rear main before. Should I just go for it since I have it open this far or leave well enough alone? Here is a pic from inside The bell housing:



Let me know what you think, and thanks for your help.

The old seal had rtv between the gasket and the pan only. I have the gasket, and have read different opinions on dry vs with rtv vs no gasket. Not sure about what's best. The wife won't be happy if I have to do this again another weekend .

-Nate

I think this was the issue. I have an 86 so it's smooth and there was a ridged gasket in there.

Unless someone says I really should replace the rear main I think I'll skip it. I'm going with RTV and no gasket.

Wait a bit and someone will chime in that’s dealt with that issue already.

I personally have never tackled that particular issue before.

Thanks for the words of wisdom. I just threw some paint on the oil pan, so I'll grab lunch and check back.

If it were me and I have changed a hundred or more I would go with changing the rear main seal while I was in that far. And I would use the gasket and the sealer. I always use Permatex The Right Stuff in a caulk tube. Why? It works. I use it as an adhesive for the gasket and have had zero issues. I don't change the oil pump. Oil pressure is not maintained by an oil pump. Clean the oil pan and block/cover mating surface spotless and clean with solvent. I use wax grease remover and then apply a bead of TRS and put the gasket on. Put the rear main cap rubber seal in place and add a small bead of TRS on the 4 corners of the pan. Put it up in there and start all the little bolts. Be careful getting the bolts from the pan into the front timing cover. they are the worst ones. Make sure you replace the drain plug seal before you add oil. Good Luck. Report back. Don't over tighten the bolts.

Thanks for the advice. So let me make sure I have this part straight: TRS on the engine and bed the gasket in it. TRS on the pan before installing, but allow to skin over before installing the pan.

Any advice on replacing the rear main? The TM mentioned using pipe sealant on the channel the bottom half that the main goes in, but I'm not sure what that would be. TRS again? Do you drop the crank when you replace the rear main? Thanks again.

I only use TRS on the pan side. That prevents the swimming around of the pan. I never put anything in the rear main seal groove. Make sure you put the correct side out and do NOT line up the halves at the cap /block joints. I take the rear cap off and turn the crank while getting the seal up into the thoroughly cleaned out seal groove. Not sure that is 100% by the book but back in the early 80's I changed many rear main seals on all types of GM engines. 2.8 V6 had rope seal that was an open campaign to change them along with 6.2 diesel. Changed many. Do recall using any sealer on the seals. The new rubber ones worked great. Haven't had a second time change unless I was changing the oil pan for cosmetic reasons. Good Luck.

The old main seal was set flush . Replaced it with a new one offset 1/2". The old one came out super easy and I did not have to drop the crank. Kind of like a colonoscopy, the prep and the dread was the worst part. Got the pan on and I'm calling it for the day. Thanks for the push to get it done Rick.

I knew you could do it. I get the same feeling every time I open up a project real deep. I still wonder what I will encounter and how much over budget I am going to go once I start fixing customers vehicles. Most CUCVB's I seen recently have had a rough life of hacking and poor mechanics working on them. mechanics wire and ratchet straps holding batteries in. I am running out of good common parts all the time. I wonder where all the parts went when they removed them. Remember to attach your transmission cooler lines into the cooler line bracket on the left side of the oil pan and the battery cable brackets on the right side. that is a must on every one I work on. Most are just not there. Many stripped or missing bolts and brackets. I think you did a great job getting that seal changed. That is a common way people installed the rear main seal. Incorrect but common. Great Job. Enjoy your week.

I remembered the brackets, but I may have lost the little c shaped piece that ties the trans cooler lines together near the bend. I have a few more items yet to do to button it back up and then clean up so hopefully it will show up. Thanks again for the help and vote of confidence.