Rear Main seal Leak EEKKKK :( How much for a mechanic to fix it?

[Wendell]

So I've started on this job.  I'm removing the oil pan.  I have a few more to go.  It would appear to me that the pan gasket has been leaking.  I mean, there's just oil all over it and the bolts holding it in are not very tight.  I know they are only supposed to be torqued to 200 inch-pounds or something.  They may be that tight, hard to say.  But my real question is this.  Before I go where angels fear to tread, how can I tell definitively if the main seal is leaking?  Is there somewhere to look where you would know for certain that the leak is coming from the rear main seal and not just seeping around the oil pan gasket?

[RockwoodMike]

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=125813&cc=1086544&pt=5436&jsn=1238

How about you take the pan down..Inspect that oil pickup tube like mine that almost broke...Clean the pan out real good and reinstall it..That is maybe a 2 hour job..

If after it is still leaking, then you're pretty sure of the rear main seal..

Did you check out the PCV system yet??

When I was in high school auto shop, we would take the vehicle out for a full hot run..

Then bring it back to the shop and lay newspaper under the engine to have the leak drip on the paper..That would give us a clue where the leak was coming from...

But if you are that close to removing the pan, take it down and see what is in there..

For the less than 10 dollar gasket linked above, it might just be the gasket only..

I am telling you..Replacing that rear main seal, especially the old rope type (in comparison to the new rubber type) is a TOTAL BEE- EYE- ITCH...

So trying the pan gasket alone is worth the try

[Wendell]

Took the pan out.  Everything looks really good.  No sludge in the pan.  No issues with the pick up tube.  Very solid. 

I've cleaned the pan and gotten all the old gasket and sealer off of it.  The front seal is not leaking--no oil running down the harmonic balancer or anything. The pan had obviously been removed somewhere along the line.  Some of the bolts holding it on were of a different size.  The pan mating surface is warped around some of the holes like someone overtightened it in the past.  I'll need to get it flattened out.  I've done that before on other cars, so hopefully I can get it back in shape.  I think I'm going to delete the windage tray.  I don't plan to go racing with it anytime soon and that seems to me like a recipe for a leak with the two gaskets and all. 

I've read that you can remove the inspection panel in the bell housing and look in there for oil.  If there's oil there, then the rear seal is likely leaking.  If not, then you should be OK. 

Too hot to work in my shop any more today.  I'll pick it up tomorrow. 

Thanks for all the advice!   

[RockwoodMike]

I've read that you can remove the inspection panel in the bell housing and look in there for oil.  If there's oil there, then the rear seal is likely leaking.  If not, then you should be OK. 

That would a good thing to do..But it might be a false positive because the transmission seal is in there too..

https://www.ebay.com/itm/166077138707

I put these fasteners on to replace the bolts..cheap and it worked good too..

Good news on the oil pump pickup..When I had mine snap I tried to find a pickup to replace it..From what I found out, the pan on the 440 Winnebago is a 1 application..it was only on this motorhome..Because of the sump located at the far front of the pan..

Every other pan available, which includes the pickup tube is a midpoint sump..

The problem with a midpoint is it is directly above the front axle..A hard bump would drive the axle directly into the pan..crushing it..

I had to rethread the pipe with a Ridged pipe thread cutter to add more thread length..It worked out fine other than lifting the whole pickup off the bottom of the pan slightly..

No big deal..just never run the oil low

[Wendell]

Took the inspection cover off the bell housing.  It's all dry in there.  No engine oil, no tranny fluid, so I assume the main bearing seal is AOK (Hallelujah!).  Replacing the oil pan gasket and valve cover gaskets and I'm hoping my oil leaking problem will be all gone. 

[RockwoodMike]

Great News..  

You need to get that thing buttoned up and back on the road..There is still plenty of time to take a nice camping trip..

Very Happy that it is all working out for you!!