Rear main seal replacement questions

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:21 am

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.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:26 am

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?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:31 am

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.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:33 am

What does the separator plate look like?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:34 am

Which one is the separator plate?

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:38 am

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

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:39 am

Let me take a look; I'll be right back.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:41 am

It's got oily grime on it too, particularly the outboard portion.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:46 am

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.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:54 am

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.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 3:23 am

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.

free5ty1e · Post by **free5ty1e** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 5:02 am

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?

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 5:20 am

It's supposed to remove the oil from the blowby gas.

free5ty1e · Post by **free5ty1e** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 5:23 am

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

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 5:40 am

Hey, as long as it's not in the blowby it's doing its job, right?

free5ty1e · Post by **free5ty1e** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:37 pm

Thats a good way to look at it. Makes me feel way better about not doing something about it lol

Post by **Legacy777** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 2:32 am

Just to add.....you can use the old seal to drive in the new seal. that's what I did.

206er · Post by **206er** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 4:48 am

I used a block of wood and a deadblow.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 6:29 am

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.

greg donovan · Post by **greg donovan** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 2:32 pm

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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Rear main seal replacement questions

Rear main seal replacement questions