Rear engine Main seal DIY?

YzGyz

Anyone have a link instructions on how to replace the engine rear main seal?
SpecialtyZ recommended me to change the rear main seal when I swap out the OEM clutch/flywheel for the Z6puck. The kit is in rout with the main seal and I plan to do it myself. It looks like you simply unbolt 6 nuts or screws and swap them out, reinstall but some instructions would be nice.

YzGyz

Spooler

It depends how the seal is install and what kit you get. Some have the aluminum and seal that will bolt in and need to be re-sealed. Some kits you only get the seal. Just carefully pry it out and install the new one very carefully. Make sure you get the spring that is inside the seal the holds it around the crank out. It is made into the seal and goes around the inner lip. If you don't, it will chew up your new seal and it will leak like crazy.

juld0zer

if it's anything like the front crank seal, dont drive it in too far (take note of how far in the original one sits)

MJB

Why would you replace the seal? How many miles on your car? Rear main seals can last well over 100k miles. If its not leaking, I have no idea why you would do this.

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09 Nismo #0483 sold. Viper or C7 next time around.

YzGyz

I have around 36k miles on my nismo. It was REC by Seb From Specialty Z. He stated that if I was to drop my tranz and do the clutch, I might as well do the seal since it's the very accessible while the tranz is dropped. It looks easy but I have no data on how to do it.

YzGyz

MJB

Here you go. Also, you can check out Youtube. All rear main seal removal and installs are pretty much universal.

*Whatever you do, make sure you do not damage the block trying to get the main seal out. Small scratches and burs from a screwdriver being jammed in there trying to pry it out can really cause you to have a bad day!!

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09 Nismo #0483 sold. Viper or C7 next time around.

IDZRVIT

This sounds like someone who is quite familiar with a SBC and leaking of the rear main is common. The rear mains seal is easy to replace on a SBC especially when the tranny is removed. However, as pointed out already, the Z rear main seals are quite good and last a long time. It's also a replacement that is not forgiving if you make a slight screw up. My advice: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

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Spooler

I would look at it and have one ready to go in if needed. It is obvious if it is in bad shape. It's not hard to do at all.

YzGyz

I was actually planning to change my plan from "change it " to "look and change it if it looks bad."

I think I will.

Yzgyz

Rid3_FaM0uS

Yz if you don't have any residual oil laying around at the bottom of the seal of if it doesn't look like there is any oil leaking through dont mess with it. But if you really feel it is necessary to change out get you a set of picks and a rubber mallet. You'll need to poke through the rubber of the seal ideally with a 90deg pick and pull it outwards towards you kind of work your way around the gasket poking in and pulling out until you fully remove the gasket from the crank. When you put the new gasket in make sure you square it up with the crank and GENTLY begin to tap it on the back of the crank. Make sure you don't hit and kink/break the spring on the ID of the seal otherwise it's junk. You will trade one leak for another. The seal should seat flush to the back of the casting in the rear of the block leaving what will look like a "lip" on the rear of your crank. That's when the seal is fully seated you might need to find something about 4" in dia. To tap on once the seal gets too deep to hit with your mallet. I might have some pictures from my motor build laying around if you decide to do this and you really need them.

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Dreadnaught

OP, when you tighten your flywheel back up, torque the bolts to specification. If you just use an 1/2 drive impact on them and go to town on the bolts you can fvck up the seal and you will cause a leak.

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YzGyz

I have already bought a click torque wrench for my installs. I hope the install instructions that comes with the new clutch and flywheel has the torque specs.

YzGyz