fireisfun

Quick question here: How tough is it to replace the front and rear seals on an '89 5.0? If you can give me specifics.

Demon_Mustang

Well, I know for the rear main seal you'll need to remove the transmission to get to it. Once it's out, all you have to do is take a small flat screw driver, and slowly tap it in on one side, pry a little, then tap into the opposite side, pry a little, then work your way around. If you're careful you can get it all out in one piece and it's not that hard.

For the front seal, I haven't done it myself, but I suppose you'll need to take off the harmonic balancer to get to it.

Anyway, I'll just tell you about my experience with the rear main seal, I replaced mine at the same time I converted my car to a manual.

If the surface of the crank is not clean and smooth, installing a new seal over it will not stop the leaking, it would not make a perfect seal unless the surface is smooth, and sometimes with an old seal, there will be some muck or glue that will be on the crank, and you can either try to clean that off, or get a repair sleave.

Anyway, if you don't need any of that, take the new seal, apply some super blue rtv to the outside edge, and some grease on the inside edge, and pop it in using a small piece of wood or something instead of tapping right on the seal with a hammer, distribute the force evenly.

fireisfun

Ok thanks. That was what I needed to know.