luckypballer

I was under my car yesterday getting ready to drop the tranny to replace the clutch. And i noticed a BIG puddle of oil. It wasnt coming from the oil pan, but rather leaking down from the front of the bellhousing(where it attaches to the engine) Is this a sign of the main seal crapping out, it only seems to happen after i start the car and let it run.

Quik

i know of someone who could build and purchase a LS1 and run 11s but that isnt a mint shell either





but yea that sounds about right. normal for stangs to leak there. my notch does

luckypballer

lol i think it a catchy little phrase, one of my friends told me it is probably the rear main seal, but it just now started thats why i was worried it has never leaked before

Derf00

Yeah..i'd say it's a safe bet that it's your rear main seal...what color of oil is it? If you're going to be doing the clutch, might as well remove the fly wheel and while it's out being resurfaced, put a new main seal in there.

95stang5.0

was it hard to get to it cause mine is leakin too and i was gonna change it. I have an auto tho

Derf00

The seal itself is cake..it's getting to it that's a pain!! You have to jack the car up as high as you can and put it on Jackstands, use the floor jack to support the tranny, pull the driveshaft, the tranny mounts, battery cable of the starter (after you've disconnected the Negative of course, bellhousing bolts, then back the tranny out.

On a manual tranny you have to remove the flywheel and on the Auto you have to remove the flexplate. Then when you're putting it all back together, you have to make sure you get the Tranny's input shaft properly aligned before you push the tranny forward back into the engine or could damage it.

It's easy but time consuming.

95stang5.0

thanks how long did it take you could me and my dad get it in a day?

Derf00

I didn't do my own (I've helped with others though). Clutches and Carbs I don't normally touch [:'(]

Dealer had the book at 3.5-4hrs for a clutch or 4 for the straight rear main seal. (The difference was that the 3.5 was for not removing the flywheel/flexplate)

If you have the proper tools, you can do it in a day. Just be sure you have a U-joint compressor, torque wrench, and ideally an impact (air) wrench. The Flywheel can be a real pain in the **** to get off since the bolts are torqued at anywhere between 100-120 ft/lbs. If you don't have an impact wrench, get a 24" or longer breaker bar.

Just be sure to get a Hayes manual for your year car and...TAKE YOUR TIME!

351cougar

just a note to add, after replacing the rear main, replace the PCV valve as well, reason be is if the PCV valve is gunked up or breaks inside, all the pressure of blow by gases build up and the rear main is the easiest place for them to exit the inside of the engine. I have seen people go through the trouble of changing them and 200 miles later doing it again because the new one was leaking.

luckypballer

thx for that little tid bit of advice, never thought of that!