I'm in the middle of replacing my clutch. I've always heard that if you are going to have the flywheel off, you are better off to just replace your rear main seal. Well, mine wasn't leaking at all.....so maybe I just should have left it, but since I had a new one...I figured what the hell.

So after I got the seal out and it was time to put the new seal in.......I tried taping the seal in with a hammer very lightly, but I ended up catching the inner lip of the seal on the sharp edge on the end of the crank and ended up ripping the seal. What's the trick to doing this? I even tried it a few more time with the bad seal that I destroyed, and I still couldn't get it to go over the crank without catching on the sharp edge and tearing the seal.

Any tips and tricks for doing this?

Thanks!!

 

First thought that comes to mind is to:
1. Lube the shaft generously, especially around the sharp edge
2. Wrap the shaft to include the sharp edge with a cheap vinyl document protector, cut it to fit, so it wraps once or twice around, making it longer than the shaft so it can act as a guide for the seal, and you can hang onto it when you initially slide the seal over it. Use scotch tape to keep it from unwrapping if necessary.
3. Generously Lube the cover and the seal.
4. Put the Rear main seal in.
5. Once the seal is beyond the sharp edge pull the wrap straight off in line and away from the crank.

Try to find the doc protectors that are harder vice the ones that feel like saran wrap.
Not to insult your intelligence but Id test it with the torn one first

Good Luck
Bruce

 

Thanks! That's a great idea about using the vinyl document protector!! I will give that a try.

 

I wouldn't introduce any paper or protectors into the area, make sure the area is clean.

When you're installing it; start the bottom of the seal (don't start pounding it in), apply a slight pressure to the started portion of the seal so as to deflect it a bit, then slowly spin the seal while slowly pushing it in, and if you do it right you can get the inner lip fully started without problem. From there just use a hammer and a brass punch and set the seal equally on all sides until it bottoms.

If you're in a bind O'Reilleys carries a Fel-Pro rear main seal, it's a great option and hasn't let us down any time we've used them.

 

Thanks for the info! Luckily my local O'Reilleys happened to have that Felpro seal in stock!

I guess tonight it will be round number 2 Hopefully I don't screw it up this time.

 

Just go slow with it and it'll find its way into place.

 

Just curious, did you get the new one in?

 

Yep, I sure did I just took my time with it, and finally got the lip of the seal started on the end of the crank all the way around. Once I got it that far, tapping it in the rest of the way was easy.

I got the new flywheel on, clutch, pressure plate......and decided it was time to give it a rest for the night. Now I just need to put the transmission back on....and put the entire front of the car all back together

 

I would recommend a quick slave cylinder bleed prior to reinstalling it on the trans, then once installed just give the pedal a feel and make sure everything feels good before you get the whole car back together.

We are replacing slave cylinders on about 8 out of 10 cars due to spontaneous slave failure, so it might not hurt to have one on hand if you don't already.

 

Funny that you mentioned that....I got the transmission in tonight, hook up the slave cylinder to test everything out before I went any further....and the clutch pedal just falls to the floor and won't come back up. I'm pretty sure there is a bunch of air in the hydraulic line to the slave cylinder....just not sure now in the hell it got air in the system when I didn't crack the bleeder or take the line off. I'm going to try to bleed it tomorrow...and if I still can't get a firm pedal, I guess I will be buying a new slave cylinder.

I find it hard to believe that the slave cylinder just died while it was sitting there....not being used for a few days while I've been working on the clutch.

 

Just wondering,took of my trans today to do the main seal as it was leaking,I haven't the car long and the previous owner said he got the seal and clutch done not long before i bought it off him.. well when i removed the flywheel i noticed the seal wasnt fully tapped in,maybe it moved after installation or something I dunno,my question is,how far do I tap the new seal in,i dont want to go too far or too less, anyone any idea wat distance the seal face should be from the edge of the crank

 

The front of the seal should be flush with the block.

 

With other cars when replacing the rear main seal the advice was to not install the new seal at the same location as the old seal. The old seal will wear a groove in the crank journal and if the new seal gets installed at the exact same location the new seal will almost certainly leak.

You want to be sure you don't push the new seal in too far and have it foul something but you want to if possible if there is some room to play with to install the new seal so the seal lip is running on virgin crank journal metal. No groove from a previous seal.