QuadCites Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 I just had the transmission worked on and now there is oil leaking. Its dripping off the very front of the transmission (lowest point). Does this sound like a rear main seal problem? Could it just not be seated properly or can the seals go bad after being opened up? Thanks, Jamie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psu_Crash Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 I would bring it back to the shop that did the work and make them find the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuadCites Posted June 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 I would bring it back to the shop that did the work and make them find the problem. Thanks - that is going to happen today. I'm just concerned that I'm gonna get charged for a seal that wasn't bad to begin with (no previous leak). I wanted to be prepared with as much knowledge as I could. A seal repair means they're gonna drop the transmission again which means $. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchi934 Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 (edited) if they messed it up by being ungentle with the car the first time then i would make sure to tell them that that repair cost is on them. to add to this. My valve cover was leaking at the back and it was dripping off that same point so make sure its not something like that. (a little RTV fixed my problem in about 30 minutes). Edited June 22, 2011 by Frenchi934 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Could also be the front tranny seal leaking. You sure it's engine oil? Dad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuadCites Posted June 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Could also be the front tranny seal leaking. You sure it's engine oil? Dad Good point... There has been a lot of dripping, but the oil level still seems ok. I'll check the trans fluid, but I'm not absolutely sure how to tell the difference by inspecting the puddle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfighterpilot Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Good point... There has been a lot of dripping, but the oil level still seems ok. I'll check the trans fluid, but I'm not absolutely sure how to tell the difference by inspecting the puddle. At least in the old days, tranny gear oil stinks, engine oil doesn't. For What It's Worth. KEN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caliber308 Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 If it is Engine oil, sometimes the bottom of the Oil Seal Case doesn't match up completely with the Oil Pan, even with the gasket. Crawl under the car with a flashlight and look at where the Oil Case meets the Oil Pan. You will have to unbolt the Bellhousing cover to get access. The car has to be running to see it, so be careful. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 What was done to the transmission? When I rebuilt my auto and reinstalled I had an oil seep also. I figured the rear main had gone out. Ordered the parts, pulled the transmission and inspected. The rear main was fine. There was a stream of fluid running from the converter housing bolt at the 7 oclock position looking aft. These bolts run thru the OD box and into the trans main case. I had messed up one of gaskets between the main case and OD box during build up. Once the trans fluid hit my driveway and mixed with all the other eng oil, brake fliuid etc there, I couldn't tell what it was either! Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 r/r 'ing the trans will not cause a rear seal to leak , now haveing the car at an angle so oil covers the rear of the oil pan can show up a leak that was already there , weak point is the corners of the pan gasket , rear cam plug and rear of valve cover gasket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuadCites Posted June 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 What was done to the transmission? When I rebuilt my auto and reinstalled I had an oil seep also. I figured the rear main had gone out. Ordered the parts, pulled the transmission and inspected. The rear main was fine. There was a stream of fluid running from the converter housing bolt at the 7 oclock position looking aft. These bolts run thru the OD box and into the trans main case. I had messed up one of gaskets between the main case and OD box during build up. Once the trans fluid hit my driveway and mixed with all the other eng oil, brake fliuid etc there, I couldn't tell what it was either! Alan I had a new syncro kit installed and slave/master cylinders put in. It's a joy to shift. The car is being looked at right now. I'll post the findings when it's fixed..... or if it's for sale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caliber308 Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 r/r 'ing the trans will not cause a rear seal to leak , now haveing the car at an angle so oil covers the rear of the oil pan can show up a leak that was already there , weak point is the corners of the pan gasket , rear cam plug and rear of valve cover gasket So Shelby, Is the Rear Oil Case seal part of the solution? When you do a engine rebuild, seems like the Rear Oil Case doesn't match up with the Oil Pan gasket. We all know about the Rear Cam plug. But, I have been under my car on a new engine rebuild leaking oil at the Bellhousing....And it was the Rear Oil Case to the Oil Pan that was leaking oil. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 I'd do the smell test first, manual trans oil has a lot of sulfur, it smells really aweful. It's free and onlt takes a second to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 i'd guess the real question here is DID it leak befor the trans was drop'd or only leak'd after the trans was drop'd or was only notice'd after the tranny was r/r'd ,,, with the tranny out the engine is very low at the rear, oil could leak out of the seal that may normaly not but the rear crank seal is likely to leak at any time the engine is being run due to oil spraying from the rear main bearing,, the seal retainer is also a splash guard to keep the majority of oil away from the seal lip,, oil leaking from the seal houseing , well thats simply an asembly mistake , the rear main oil seal is not much of a press fit i normaly rtv the outter edge to help it seal in the houseing,, the retainer has an oil drain hole on the bottom of it if that was miss align'd oil could build up next to the seal and leak out,, but the point is nothing you can do just pulling the trans can effect the rear main seal causeing it to leak , if it is leaking now it was leaking befor . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuadCites Posted June 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 i'd guess the real question here is DID it leak befor the trans was drop'd or only leak'd after the trans was drop'd or was only notice'd after the tranny was r/r'd ,,, with the tranny out the engine is very low at the rear, oil could leak out of the seal that may normaly not but the rear crank seal is likely to leak at any time the engine is being run due to oil spraying from the rear main bearing,, the seal retainer is also a splash guard to keep the majority of oil away from the seal lip,, oil leaking from the seal houseing , well thats simply an asembly mistake , the rear main oil seal is not much of a press fit i normaly rtv the outter edge to help it seal in the houseing,, the retainer has an oil drain hole on the bottom of it if that was miss align'd oil could build up next to the seal and leak out,, but the point is nothing you can do just pulling the trans can effect the rear main seal causeing it to leak , if it is leaking now it was leaking befor . I don't recall this particular leak before the transmission work. Leak Behavior Details: When cool, the leak stops. It happens after the car is shut off.... not right away, but about 30 seconds after and then drips maybe 30 times then stops. After initial inspection, the mechanic thought it was oil and not trans fluid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indiana Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 If it is Engine oil, sometimes the bottom of the Oil Seal Case doesn't match up completely with the Oil Pan, even with the gasket. Crawl under the car with a flashlight and look at where the Oil Case meets the Oil Pan. You will have to unbolt the Bellhousing cover to get access. The car has to be running to see it, so be careful. BillThat's not true the seal cover has two dowel pins in it so it can't move and its machined to be two flush surfaces just like the timing cover is when adjoined to the block. None of the gaskets are made to fit exact and you have to trim the bottom/top off to be flush then wipe sealant over the gap. OP The oil pan is pulled down in the front and hanging, the rear lips bent and weren't flattened back out, the pan is put back on and the sealant all mashed out trying to get tiny wide spaced bolts to bend the pan flange to seal it and it won't happen and it will leak every time. They hammer and pry to get the pan off and the lip is always bent. You have to put your pan on a flat surface and level that flange all the way around it before you put it on. If they used sealant on the front bearing retainer and seal cover for the transmission and did it wrong it might leak. You need to take a white paper towel and wipe this all down and when you see it drip again wipe and then see what it is. Engine oil you can see on your dipstick and gearoil is much thicker and darker or a different color or even clear if they used Diaqueen. Wipe the top back of the valve cover and head all down, those valve cover gaskets will all leak if not properly installed and you can't on any of them just poke the gasket up in the groove then flop the valve cover on and tighten it down they leak every time too. The radius of the cut in the valve cover never matches the radius of the back cam tower cap so you have to first put a little sealant up in the groove in the valve cover, then just place the gasket partially into the groove. Put a drop in each corner on each side of that back cam tower cap where the gasket lays and across the front on top and across that half moon rubber plug. Now put some on the gasket in that curve, a narrow bead about 1/8" tall down to each corner. Put that valve cover on with that gasket just barely pushed into the groove so that it won't fall out when you flip it over. Put the valve cover on and line up the bolt holes by looking down in the hole to the threaded hole in the cam tower caps. Oil the bolt shank so when it gets tight around that plug it won't cause it to spin or tighten up the bolt. Put your finger along side the valve cover and start to tighten the bolts down and feel the gap close. When you feel the gap stop closing, stop turning the bolt. Done. Do not smear the sealant around that mashed out the back in that curve leave it alone and let it dry and stay there. There's also a plug in the back of the head that was to be sealed in before the rocker assembly was installed and it might be leaking. Got a hand mirror to look behind the head and see if this is where the oil is leaking from? It will run down the back of the block and look like the tranny seal or rear seal is the cause but its not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indiana Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 83-87 transmission pans are tin and have a gasket, they may be bent or didn't use a gasket and used sealant and did a piss poor job of it or it might seep around the bolt holes. 88-89 transmission pans are cast and have a machined groove with an oring seal. If you reuse an old seal you will need to use sealant on it. It hope they used turbo parts in that rebuild. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indiana Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 But, I have been under my car on a new engine rebuild leaking oil at the Bellhousing....And it was the Rear Oil Case to the Oil Pan that was leaking oil. Bill Oh my. I wonder who did that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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