Rear main seal replacement questions

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vrg3
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Rear main seal replacement questions

Post by vrg3 »

How do you remove the old rear main seal? I'm afraid to pry with metal tools because I don't want to mar the sealing surfaces or anything.

When installing the new one, do you pack grease or anything behind it? Or do you just coat the seal in oil and press it in? Will my thumbs form a sufficient press?

Thanks.
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Post by THAWA »

A screw driver should work fine so long as you don't manhandle it. A little bit of oil around it should work nicely and no you can't just press it in with your finger. Best thing to do would be to buy the seal installer. If you don't want to I'm sure you could make something work. Is yours leaking or something? and have you looked at it directly to know that it's leaking?
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Post by vrg3 »

Thanks. I'm still really scared of doing it with a screwdriver, but I guess I'll try...

Maybe I'll try pressing it in using the flywheel... I could put the flywheel on and tighten the bolts evenly to push it in.

I don't know for sure if it's leaking, but it was definitely coated with lots of oily grime, and there's some oil in the vicinity. I've got it all opened up and a new seal right here, so I don't think there's any question about whether I should replace it.
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Post by THAWA »

What does the separator plate look like?
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Post by vrg3 »

Which one is the separator plate?
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Post by THAWA »

It's the big kinda parallelogram-shaped plate on the right side has I think 6 screws in it.
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Post by vrg3 »

Let me take a look; I'll be right back.
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Post by vrg3 »

It's got oily grime on it too, particularly the outboard portion.
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Post by THAWA »

I'd be willing to bet the oil is leaking from the separator plate and not the Rear main seal. I'm not going to say it's impossible for the rear main to leak, but it's more likely for it to be a problem of the separator. If it were me I'd just replace the separator and put some threebond on the mating surface, but I'd hate for that not to be the problem or them both be leaking and have you have to go through this again.
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Post by THAWA »

Also I don't think using the flywheel would work. I think theres a few mm of clearance between the flywheel and the rear main.
Rio Red 90 Legacy LS AWD 174k
Liquid Silver 92 SVX LS-L 88k
[url=http://folding.amdmbpond.com/FoldingForOurFuture.html]Do you fold?[/url]

I'm on First and First. How can the same street intersect with itself? I must be at the nexus of the universe.
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Post by vrg3 »

Well, I've just replaced the main seal. You're correct about the clearance; I used the flywheel to get it started and then finished it off with rubber mallets and whatnot.

I'll check out the separator plate too. Thanks.
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Post by free5ty1e »

Thats what that thing was. Yes, my separator plate was grimy and oily as well, but my rear main seal was fine just fine. Too bad I didn't have time to acquire a replacement plate or gasket or whatever it is behind there that seals.. but it wasn't too bad.

Why is there a plate there might I ask?
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Post by THAWA »

It's supposed to remove the oil from the blowby gas.
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Post by free5ty1e »

the hell you say. Well, it was definately removing oil from the engine at some fathomable rate. I'm not dropping the tranny again anytime soon, lol
-Chris
91SS 4EAT stock, 200k mi
91SS 5MT rebuilt engine waiting for a shell
93TW 4EAT, Forester lift, 3" TBE, 11psi, 200k mi
94SS 5MT4.11+rLSD 311k km: RobTune550,TD05-16g @ 18psi,FMIC,3"TBE,Forester lift
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Post by THAWA »

Hey, as long as it's not in the blowby it's doing its job, right? :)
Rio Red 90 Legacy LS AWD 174k
Liquid Silver 92 SVX LS-L 88k
[url=http://folding.amdmbpond.com/FoldingForOurFuture.html]Do you fold?[/url]

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Post by free5ty1e »

Thats a good way to look at it. Makes me feel way better about not doing something about it lol
-Chris
91SS 4EAT stock, 200k mi
91SS 5MT rebuilt engine waiting for a shell
93TW 4EAT, Forester lift, 3" TBE, 11psi, 200k mi
94SS 5MT4.11+rLSD 311k km: RobTune550,TD05-16g @ 18psi,FMIC,3"TBE,Forester lift
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Post by Legacy777 »

Just to add.....you can use the old seal to drive in the new seal. that's what I did.
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Post by 206er »

I used a block of wood and a deadblow.
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Post by vrg3 »

Oh, didn't think of that.

I found this PVC pipe cap at the hardware store that had almost the exact same diameter as the seal. The mallet worked well on that.
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Post by greg donovan »

vrg3 wrote:Oh, didn't think of that.

I found this PVC pipe cap at the hardware store that had almost the exact same diameter as the seal. The mallet worked well on that.
that is essentially what the special subaru tool is that is used at the dealership.
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