RoyJ

FWIW: My parts manual for the '90 4.2L clearly shows a 2 piece rear main.

I know everyone has flogged the valve cover fix but most of us have
needed several tries to get it right,and it does mimic a bad rear seal
quite nicely. I power wash the back the engine at the local self serve
car wash, then stuff a paper towel between the engine and the firewall.
Any sign of oil after 30 minutes of driving says you don't have the
valve cover right.

NewbieJeepGuy wrote:

> Thanks all for your help so far. I have replaced the Valve Cover
> Gasket as suggested before posting this message and have gotten the
> thing pretty much narrowed down to the rear main seal. Unless it can
> leak from somewhere else in back and make a few of us think its the
> Rear Main.
>
> Micah, thanks for all the info you put in and you stated that it is a
> 2 piece seal? Not a one piece? As I stated I have the 90 Wrangler YJ
> with the 258 4.2L engine in it and I was talking to a couple auto
> parts shops and they kept asking me if it had the 1 or 2 piece seal.
> I guess I got confused because to me with that year and engine it
> should be pretty straightforward which one it would be. So I need to
> look for the FEL-BS13879 part by Fel-Pro. I did a quick search and
> that states 2 piece Rear Main Seal application for the AMC/
> International/Jeep 196-258 L6 engines.
>
> Now would you have any good instructions or reference to any on the
> net to print out while I tackle this fun project. I'm a computer
> person that is just getting into this jeep and engine stuff but know
> it will save me lots of money if I can do some basic or the easier
> stuff than going to the shop all the time.
>
> Thanks.
> ndittoo@yahoo.com
>

NewbieJeepGuy

Thanks for the post RoyJ, I am pretty confident that its the Rear Main
that is leaking. Since there is no oil towards the top of my engine
or even the backup of the engine and the firewall. Thanks for the
information from your manual showing that it is indeed a 2 piece rear
main.

Now does anyone have a good document to follow to replace this seal?
Thanks again.

NewbieJeepGuy

Thanks for the post RoyJ, I am pretty confident that its the Rear Main
that is leaking. Since there is no oil towards the top of my engine
or even the backup of the engine and the firewall. Thanks for the
information from your manual showing that it is indeed a 2 piece rear
main.

Now does anyone have a good document to follow to replace this seal?
Thanks again.

NewbieJeepGuy

Thanks for the post RoyJ, I am pretty confident that its the Rear Main
that is leaking. Since there is no oil towards the top of my engine
or even the backup of the engine and the firewall. Thanks for the
information from your manual showing that it is indeed a 2 piece rear
main.

Now does anyone have a good document to follow to replace this seal?
Thanks again.

NewbieJeepGuy

Thanks for the post RoyJ, I am pretty confident that its the Rear Main
that is leaking. Since there is no oil towards the top of my engine
or even the backup of the engine and the firewall. Thanks for the
information from your manual showing that it is indeed a 2 piece rear
main.

Now does anyone have a good document to follow to replace this seal?
Thanks again.

RoyJ

The problem with a "good document" about how to replace the seal is that
technically, you are not supposed to be able to replace the seal without
dropping the crankshaft out. Anything else is going to be loaded with
the "do this and see if that works" kind of info. The problem is getting
the top half of the crank seal out with the crank still in there. The
more clearnace, the easier it is to get the old one out and the new one
PROPERLY in place. Version one is pull the pan, pull the rear main cap,
wiggle the seal out and replace. Version 2 is pull all the bearing caps
and hope you can drop the crankshaft down an 1/8" of an inch or so and
get the seal out. Version 3 is pull the transfer case and tranny out so
you can get the pilot bearing free and drop the crankshaft down enough
to get the job done.

NewbieJeepGuy wrote:
> Thanks for the post RoyJ, I am pretty confident that its the Rear Main
> that is leaking. Since there is no oil towards the top of my engine
> or even the backup of the engine and the firewall. Thanks for the
> information from your manual showing that it is indeed a 2 piece rear
> main.
>
> Now does anyone have a good document to follow to replace this seal?
> Thanks again.
>
>

RoyJ

The problem with a "good document" about how to replace the seal is that
technically, you are not supposed to be able to replace the seal without
dropping the crankshaft out. Anything else is going to be loaded with
the "do this and see if that works" kind of info. The problem is getting
the top half of the crank seal out with the crank still in there. The
more clearnace, the easier it is to get the old one out and the new one
PROPERLY in place. Version one is pull the pan, pull the rear main cap,
wiggle the seal out and replace. Version 2 is pull all the bearing caps
and hope you can drop the crankshaft down an 1/8" of an inch or so and
get the seal out. Version 3 is pull the transfer case and tranny out so
you can get the pilot bearing free and drop the crankshaft down enough
to get the job done.

NewbieJeepGuy wrote:
> Thanks for the post RoyJ, I am pretty confident that its the Rear Main
> that is leaking. Since there is no oil towards the top of my engine
> or even the backup of the engine and the firewall. Thanks for the
> information from your manual showing that it is indeed a 2 piece rear
> main.
>
> Now does anyone have a good document to follow to replace this seal?
> Thanks again.
>
>

RoyJ

The problem with a "good document" about how to replace the seal is that
technically, you are not supposed to be able to replace the seal without
dropping the crankshaft out. Anything else is going to be loaded with
the "do this and see if that works" kind of info. The problem is getting
the top half of the crank seal out with the crank still in there. The
more clearnace, the easier it is to get the old one out and the new one
PROPERLY in place. Version one is pull the pan, pull the rear main cap,
wiggle the seal out and replace. Version 2 is pull all the bearing caps
and hope you can drop the crankshaft down an 1/8" of an inch or so and
get the seal out. Version 3 is pull the transfer case and tranny out so
you can get the pilot bearing free and drop the crankshaft down enough
to get the job done.

NewbieJeepGuy wrote:
> Thanks for the post RoyJ, I am pretty confident that its the Rear Main
> that is leaking. Since there is no oil towards the top of my engine
> or even the backup of the engine and the firewall. Thanks for the
> information from your manual showing that it is indeed a 2 piece rear
> main.
>
> Now does anyone have a good document to follow to replace this seal?
> Thanks again.
>
>

RoyJ

The problem with a "good document" about how to replace the seal is that
technically, you are not supposed to be able to replace the seal without
dropping the crankshaft out. Anything else is going to be loaded with
the "do this and see if that works" kind of info. The problem is getting
the top half of the crank seal out with the crank still in there. The
more clearnace, the easier it is to get the old one out and the new one
PROPERLY in place. Version one is pull the pan, pull the rear main cap,
wiggle the seal out and replace. Version 2 is pull all the bearing caps
and hope you can drop the crankshaft down an 1/8" of an inch or so and
get the seal out. Version 3 is pull the transfer case and tranny out so
you can get the pilot bearing free and drop the crankshaft down enough
to get the job done.

NewbieJeepGuy wrote:
> Thanks for the post RoyJ, I am pretty confident that its the Rear Main
> that is leaking. Since there is no oil towards the top of my engine
> or even the backup of the engine and the firewall. Thanks for the
> information from your manual showing that it is indeed a 2 piece rear
> main.
>
> Now does anyone have a good document to follow to replace this seal?
> Thanks again.
>
>

Earle Horton

Remember the rope seals? There was a Chinese finger toy type of tool you
could use to try to drag the new one into place. Leave just the right
amount of rope sticking out, and the cap would compress the seal so it would
maybe not leak for a while. Cut off too much or too little and you had to
do the job over. I like the type where you have to take the flywheel off.

Earle

"RoyJ" <spamless@microsoft.net> wrote in message
news:mrOvh.16414$pQ3.10668@newsread4.news.pas.eart hlink.net...
> The problem with a "good document" about how to replace the seal is that
> technically, you are not supposed to be able to replace the seal without
> dropping the crankshaft out. Anything else is going to be loaded with
> the "do this and see if that works" kind of info. The problem is getting
> the top half of the crank seal out with the crank still in there. The
> more clearnace, the easier it is to get the old one out and the new one
> PROPERLY in place. Version one is pull the pan, pull the rear main cap,
> wiggle the seal out and replace. Version 2 is pull all the bearing caps
> and hope you can drop the crankshaft down an 1/8" of an inch or so and
> get the seal out. Version 3 is pull the transfer case and tranny out so
> you can get the pilot bearing free and drop the crankshaft down enough
> to get the job done.
>
> NewbieJeepGuy wrote:
> > Thanks for the post RoyJ, I am pretty confident that its the Rear Main
> > that is leaking. Since there is no oil towards the top of my engine
> > or even the backup of the engine and the firewall. Thanks for the
> > information from your manual showing that it is indeed a 2 piece rear
> > main.
> >
> > Now does anyone have a good document to follow to replace this seal?
> > Thanks again.
> >
> >