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Topic: 427 rear main seal

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427 rear main seal

Posted: 6/14/14 7:14am Message 1 of 25
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Suffolk, VA - USA
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Vette(s): 1969 convertible 427 4speed

Do you have to remove the engine from the car to replace the rear main seal on the engine?




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Re: 427 rear main seal

Posted: 6/14/14 8:18am Message 2 of 25
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Duncanville, TX - USA
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 No...it can be done in the car. Need to drop the steering linkage, and remove the pan. Thumbs Up


Joel Adams
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Re: 427 rear main seal

Posted: 6/14/14 8:31am Message 3 of 25
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Thanks. I am getting some diffferent answers on the procedure. I just had the engine overhauled and it is leaking fresh oil from the general location of the rear seal. I would hate to have to pull the engine back out of the car.  I am going to continue to look into the problem. Hopefully between my mechanic and the overhaul shop they can find the leak. 


Re: 427 rear main seal

Posted: 6/14/14 10:30am Message 4 of 25
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Grapevine, TX - USA
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Vette(s): 1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air. 2017 Black Rose Grand Sport convertible.
Sounds like whoever put your engine together needs to have it fixed.  Not you.


   

Re: 427 rear main seal

Posted: 6/19/14 5:57pm Message 5 of 25
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Vette(s): 1969 convertible 427 4speed
The engine  has a couple a hundred miles since overhaul. I have been driving it to get some time on the engine. Will the new rear main seal start to seal better after I drive it more or should there be no leaks?


Re: 427 rear main seal

Posted: 6/19/14 7:27pm Message 6 of 25
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Duncanville, TX - USA
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It's not going to stop leaking if it's leaking now. The rear main seal is a rope type seal originally, but replacement seals are rubber. If not installed properly, either type will leak. To replace it, you'll have to remove the oil pan, the oil pump, the rear main cap, and loosen all of the main caps, to allow the crankshaft to drop down just a smidgeon. This will allow the upper seal to be replaced. I sure hope it has the rubber seals....the upper rope type seal is a major pita to replace...
The trick to making sure the seal doesn't leak is to off-set the ends of the seals, so that the seam between the upper and lower seals are not split at the same place as the main cap/block....one end should protrude from the engine side, and the other end of the seal should protrude from the main cap side. Don't know if that makes any sense without a visual aide....


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Re: 427 rear main seal

Posted: 6/20/14 6:31am Message 7 of 25
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Thanks for answering my question. I am going to have to keep after my mechanic and the engine shop that did the rebuild to make it right. 


Re: 427 rear main seal

Posted: 6/27/14 10:32am Message 8 of 25
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Vette(s): 1980 Corvette Torch Red with Gold metallic 370HP/350 CU.IN.Turbo 350 w/shift kit.Originally CA.Car with 305 CU.IN.

Joel,  It sounds like the builder did not "Offset" the hard rubber seal (sold in the gasket set's these days) or not installed it with the seal "lip" forward to retain the oil into pan..

I hate that when it happens...Big job on a big block,albeit can be done as you have stated by slightly dropping crank to get the upper seal to rotate..Trick is to be sure to install new rear main seal correctly without hurting the seal going into upper rear main cap with each half offset,also tricky..
Good luck...       Sal C



|UPDATED|6/27/2014 10:32:29 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|



Re: 427 rear main seal

Posted: 6/29/14 11:13am Message 9 of 25
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The engine shop said they would look at the engine and determine the leak and replace the seal if needed. 




Re: 427 rear main seal

Posted: 10/1/14 6:29pm Message 10 of 25
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Vette(s): 1969 convertible 427 4speed
Update on the oil leak.    It has been a very long summer of dealing with different people about the oil leak. Very frustrating dealing with people that do not follow through with their work.   I finally got some answers to my questions .  The rear main seal is NOT leaking.  I have the car at a new mechanic and he told me after putting the car up on the lift that the oil pan is where the oil leak is.  I am thinking that when the engine was put back in the car that it was damanged.  I am going to have my new mechanic fix this after he finishes with installing the new carburetor. 


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