Rear Main Seal Question?

tvtech02

New member
Hello everyone here on this forum. I need to replace the rear main seal on my 52 ford 215 inline 6 engine. I have heard different opinions on this but hopefully somebody here has done this before and can tell me for sure. Can I replace the seal by just removing the oil pan and main cap? Or,do I have to pull the engine to do this job. This engine was overhauled about 15 yrs ago and I remember that it had a rope seal type but was replaced with a rubber 2 piece seal.Therefore,it does not have the rope seal anymore.I am hoping that I can do it with the engine in the car rather than pulling the engine out.However,if its the only way this seal can be replaced,than I will start the job on Saturday. Thanks in advance for all the help I can get.
 
Yes the neoprene type rear main seals can be replaced even easier than a rope seal in the car. The oil pan is removed plus the rear main cap too. The top seal can usally be pushed or by a light hammering on with a punch to get it to start rolling out but if not in the worse case senareo you will need to loosen up a few of the other mains (rear to front) a enough so the crank can just drop a little bit at the rear. In this case and also Depending on which Transmission you might have it may need to come out (the manuals). If you can get the old seal out a new one should roll back in easy enough, be sure to clock the seal so the seal ends aren't on the main caps parting lines of 9 & 3 something like 10 & 4 use a very slight amount of silicone on the ends. Good luck (y) :nod:
 
Thank you very much bubba.I really appreciate your help with this rear main seal. I will be working on it tomorrow and hopefully get it done the same day.Will post back when I get it finished.
 
I started on this job this morning. I removed the upper seal and installed the new one. I have a question on the seals that are used in the cap.I have the lower seal and also 2 seals that are used on the sides of the cap.This seals use a pin (look like nails) that are inserted along with the side seals. My problem is that the side seals will not stay in place,they keep coming off the cap.I put the seal in the cap and than the pin that goes there but still will come off the cap.I don't want to use any sealant to hold the seal in place cause I don't know if that's the right thing to do.The instructions say to slide the new side seal in and than insert the pin on the side of the seal.
The side seal has a small groove for this pin.Also,the new side seal does not fit flush with the side of the cap,it sticks out a little bit.
The old seal is flush with the cap. I think the reason for this is cause the old seal was compressed in when the cap was thighten to torque specifications.I need some tips or suggestions on the installation of the side seals that go on the cap.All the seals in the kit are exactly as the old seals. I'm hoping to get this done today if only I can get the side seals to stay in the cap.Thanks for your help.
 
I install those side seals after the rear main cap is installed then tapping them in if nessisary some oil or light grease helps too, then insert the locking pins. If the side seals are still loose then you can try using some of the black RTV Ultra to help hold them. Yes those side seals need to be a bit longer for the crush fit which will also tighten them up. Good luck (y) :nod:t
 
Ok, I will do that and see if everything fits in place.Thanks again for your great help.Will post the results when I finish the job and test run the engine for any leaks.
 
I was really busy yesterday so did not finish putting in the seals. However,this morning I started early and went ahead and replaced both upper and lower seal,the 2 side seals along with the 2 locking pins and a new oil pan gasket. Got it all put together and started the engine up. I ran it here at my shop for 30 minutes.No oil leaks while running. I than shut the engine off and after 1 hour,I checked and also no oil leaks. Before I replaced the seals,I could run the engine for 30 minutes and no leaks while driving but when I parked the car and after about 15 minutes,there was a big puddle of oil on the cement. So,looks like I did a good job.
2 mechanics here in town told me that, to replace the upper and lower seals,they would have to pull the engine to do the job and it would be a costly repair because of the labor involved.
I want to give special thanks to Bubba for his great advice and help with the installation of the seals. Thanks bubba.I really appreciate your help. Now I can get it ready for the car show that's coming up next weekend.
By the way, do you bubba or anyone here happen to be familiar with the ford 302 engine? I have a 55 ford 2 door station wagon that I'm going to have to do a head gasket job. I have water in the oil. The wagon origionally had a 272 v8 but I took that out and replaced it with this 302 engine. Thanks again.
 
:beer: congrats on your success doing that rear main seal! (y) Yes have also worked on the SBF 302's lots of them and many other Ford engines from 1928 to around 1996, but not so much after that. :nod:
 
Sorry bubba,I did not mean to put you on the spot by asking questions on a V8 motor when this forum is for inline 6 cylinder engines. I am going to see if I can find a service manual for this 302 engine so that I can get the info that I need in replacing the head gaskets.
Thanks anyway.
 
tvtech02":3h8sjoom said:
Sorry bubba,I did not mean to put you on the spot by asking questions on a V8 motor when this forum is for inline 6 cylinder engines. I am going to see if I can find a service manual for this 302 engine so that I can get the info that I need in replacing the head gaskets.
Thanks anyway.

That's ok, but what we will need to do is move the posts dealing with the 302 V8's out of the Vintage Ford Six forum into the Gasoline Alley forum. Edited I moved your post and answered it do just today at 2:00 PM
 
Hello everyone here. I have a 52 ford 6 volt inline 6 with positive ground. I was doing a tune up on my car yesterday and noticed that the negative wire from the coil is going to the distributer. The car is running great, no problems at all but I was wondering if that the way it should be wired.I thought that since its a positive ground system,the wire from the Positive terminal on the coil should go to the points.What do you think about this? Maybe somebody here has the electrical diagram of the ignition system of a 6 volt positive ground.
I just want to make sure that its ok the way it is now. Thanks to all for your help.
 
Hello tvtech02, you will receive more answers to your question if you start a new post and place it in the correct forum, such as the electrical section instead of putting on a post that is a totally different.topic. Good luck :nod:
 
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