Rear Main Seal inline 6 4.0
08-09-2016, 10:18 PM
#16
Old fart with a wrench
IDK, but maybe I'm OCD, but wouldn't it be safer to just replace that pan? Easier anyhow.
08-09-2016, 10:21 PM
#17
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I DID think of that. We are limited here. Don, (My name also) at Redwood welding might do such a thing....it would be a favor, and IIRC they like to load up the thing before they run it. Also it maybe might not have gotten this "Aviation Shalliac". Or maybe would have...Idk. Town is almost 1/2 hr each way, and the belt sander did indeed work.
08-09-2016, 10:30 PM
#18
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Last edited by DFlintstone; 08-09-2016 at 10:34 PM.
08-10-2016, 10:30 AM
#19
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Good work. I loosen the sway bar and take off the steering stabilizer, maybe even the drag link from the knuckle. Much depends on what shocks and/or lift you have.
08-10-2016, 10:54 AM
#20
I did look at that relationship and wonder. Also had heard having it too low could be a problem, thought something to do with steering though. Much thanks for your post...yea, once the "sump" cleared the axle it came right out. If I'm still alive and have the opportunity/time/energy, I may test that..but realistically likely not as I have it now so I know it will go back. I'm not touching the oil pump, no need it seems. "I got the pan up over the axle and then slid the oil pump in and bolted it" Yea, a book mentions that process. Did you need to unbolt the pump to get your pan out?
I'm trying to be through here as I may make my first real write-up from this.
The old sealant is rock hard. Putty knife was a joke. Kemtool will eat almost anything given time, but evaporates fast. I tried soaking a strip of rag laid on it, (which has worked on other things)....in a few minutes that didn't seem to help much. So went to the wire wheel on the bench grinder. Not pointless, but not very effective. Awkward taking an oil pan to a bench grinder. My woodworking bench has a 14" vice. That and a 2 by screwed down let me get after it with a belt sander with a fresh 80, (or 60?) grit aluminum oxide belt. That worked! Being it's flat it showed what I bent pounding a pry bar in there as well. Golly, what fun, and I still get to do the block surface. Just now thinking, I have some paint remover which is a gel. Worth a shot for the block.
I'm trying to be through here as I may make my first real write-up from this.
The old sealant is rock hard. Putty knife was a joke. Kemtool will eat almost anything given time, but evaporates fast. I tried soaking a strip of rag laid on it, (which has worked on other things)....in a few minutes that didn't seem to help much. So went to the wire wheel on the bench grinder. Not pointless, but not very effective. Awkward taking an oil pan to a bench grinder. My woodworking bench has a 14" vice. That and a 2 by screwed down let me get after it with a belt sander with a fresh 80, (or 60?) grit aluminum oxide belt. That worked! Being it's flat it showed what I bent pounding a pry bar in there as well. Golly, what fun, and I still get to do the block surface. Just now thinking, I have some paint remover which is a gel. Worth a shot for the block.
08-11-2016, 01:31 AM
#21
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I swear, the Jeep almost seems to be Happy! "everything else, then a steering box and a rear main seal, maybe somebody really does love me! (after all)" Busted the rears loose doing about 40 on the test drive! (gravel here). All seems sweet and fine...
Last edited by DFlintstone; 08-12-2016 at 03:01 AM.
08-12-2016, 01:54 AM
#22
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OK, I wrote my text around photos, then missed photos, and botched the order. Needs editing. All the he photos for this post are here, guess I can "massage" the text a bit, then change photo order...Stay tuned to see what else I bent....OH, just noticed nothing on the install of the upper..and the (now second) photo might be confusing. I'm holding the new seal next to the RMB cap. Much thanks to CF for helping me put this ...somewhere.
Well, it seemed the pan almost "wanted" to go back. I just waved my hammer at it and it straightened out. OK I was set up pretty good, but piece of cake, malleable, pretty easy to bend back flat.
A neat trick! The #7 rear main cap will be a bit stuck there. I've watched vids where they dropped it. Just put a standard screwdriver in the hole and jiggle it. When it comes free you have it, "on a pike", (the screwdriver).
Now looking up at the block you see the ends of the upper 1/2 of the seal. Two things, you don't want to muck up the crankshaft where the seal seals! Other is it has a metal "spine" and can be driven. Mine went "easy", and I mean easy because I'm not new to stuck things. You DO need to "talk" to it. See in the photo with the bike, I wrapped a layer of electrical tape around the 1/8 inch drift, (nail set?), so as to lessen the chance of it marring the crank. Then used medium size (vice grip brand), vice grip clamped at the right angle. I did dress that end with a file first, any "mushroom" there would be a disaster. A few easy taps didn't do anything, so I got set right and gave it a good smack with a small hammer. Bingo! Something went right! I drove up on my right because I knew I'd need to pull down on the opposite side. I mean the other way looks like it would be awkward. I've seen posted getting that out can be a real pain. If one end won't go try the other. It might be really hard. Just stop and wait, come back tomorrow maybe. DO NOT MUCK UP THE CRANKSHAFT! The seal is not bound on the crank, lowering it won't help. It's stuck in it's groove.
I happen to have a long, angled needle point plyer, perfect for this. (Thank you Dennis, RIP) So carefully it came out!
I tied the gasket on the pan in four places with waxed dental floss. Big mistake (for me). I just used square knots. On install, one slipped loose, (wax), and another somewhat mysteriously severed. I put dabs of blue RTV on the block four places. Two up front where the timing chain cover meets the block, and two back where the RM bearing cap meets the block. Also I couldn't resist a lite coat on the gasket where it fits in the groove in the cap, partly as lube. Now I'm on my back, silicone setting, can't see much that well, and 1/4 of the gasket is in there somewhere. That blue one piece Fel-Pro is ridged enough you are not gonna feed/tease it back.
The trans cooling lines are preventing...so I jamb a long 1/2 extension somewhere to brace the lines out enough. Gads. Finally I get it up. Been at for a while and find a bolt, but it won't start. Strength and patience at an end. On the lawn there by my shoulder I find part of a Dug Fir cone. Stuffed that into the 7/16, 11mm socket I was using, as a spacer to give more thread sticking out of the socket, stuck a bolt on top of that, and the threads caught and I got one started! 
Started a few more, then cut and removed the dental floss.
That's about it. Some pics are out of order. 6292 shows the metal spacers in the gasket to prevent up from squishing it into another dimension. 6291 is the pan after straightening.
I suppose I'll be editing. Points..Make a drawing of the positions of the pan studs. Life is easier if you have a deep well 7/16-11mm socket, (mine is hiding). Under those 7/16 nuts on the studs, those are 1/2 inch. (needs a deep well there also. Put a cigarette but or something in your socket to hold the pan bolt out so when you finally get there, you can start a bolt. Remove the starter. Besides really close fit with the edge of the pan, reaching and cleaning the block surface would been nearly impossible for me with it in. I did disconnect the battery, but not the starter.
My next post will explain why I needed to jack the axle down...(or didn't)
Well, it seemed the pan almost "wanted" to go back. I just waved my hammer at it and it straightened out. OK I was set up pretty good, but piece of cake, malleable, pretty easy to bend back flat.
A neat trick! The #7 rear main cap will be a bit stuck there. I've watched vids where they dropped it. Just put a standard screwdriver in the hole and jiggle it. When it comes free you have it, "on a pike", (the screwdriver).
Now looking up at the block you see the ends of the upper 1/2 of the seal. Two things, you don't want to muck up the crankshaft where the seal seals! Other is it has a metal "spine" and can be driven. Mine went "easy", and I mean easy because I'm not new to stuck things. You DO need to "talk" to it. See in the photo with the bike, I wrapped a layer of electrical tape around the 1/8 inch drift, (nail set?), so as to lessen the chance of it marring the crank. Then used medium size (vice grip brand), vice grip clamped at the right angle. I did dress that end with a file first, any "mushroom" there would be a disaster. A few easy taps didn't do anything, so I got set right and gave it a good smack with a small hammer. Bingo! Something went right! I drove up on my right because I knew I'd need to pull down on the opposite side. I mean the other way looks like it would be awkward. I've seen posted getting that out can be a real pain. If one end won't go try the other. It might be really hard. Just stop and wait, come back tomorrow maybe. DO NOT MUCK UP THE CRANKSHAFT! The seal is not bound on the crank, lowering it won't help. It's stuck in it's groove.
I happen to have a long, angled needle point plyer, perfect for this. (Thank you Dennis, RIP) So carefully it came out!
I tied the gasket on the pan in four places with waxed dental floss. Big mistake (for me). I just used square knots. On install, one slipped loose, (wax), and another somewhat mysteriously severed. I put dabs of blue RTV on the block four places. Two up front where the timing chain cover meets the block, and two back where the RM bearing cap meets the block. Also I couldn't resist a lite coat on the gasket where it fits in the groove in the cap, partly as lube. Now I'm on my back, silicone setting, can't see much that well, and 1/4 of the gasket is in there somewhere. That blue one piece Fel-Pro is ridged enough you are not gonna feed/tease it back.
The trans cooling lines are preventing...so I jamb a long 1/2 extension somewhere to brace the lines out enough. Gads. Finally I get it up. Been at for a while and find a bolt, but it won't start. Strength and patience at an end. On the lawn there by my shoulder I find part of a Dug Fir cone. Stuffed that into the 7/16, 11mm socket I was using, as a spacer to give more thread sticking out of the socket, stuck a bolt on top of that, and the threads caught and I got one started! Started a few more, then cut and removed the dental floss. That's about it. Some pics are out of order. 6292 shows the metal spacers in the gasket to prevent up from squishing it into another dimension. 6291 is the pan after straightening.
I suppose I'll be editing. Points..Make a drawing of the positions of the pan studs. Life is easier if you have a deep well 7/16-11mm socket, (mine is hiding). Under those 7/16 nuts on the studs, those are 1/2 inch. (needs a deep well there also. Put a cigarette but or something in your socket to hold the pan bolt out so when you finally get there, you can start a bolt. Remove the starter. Besides really close fit with the edge of the pan, reaching and cleaning the block surface would been nearly impossible for me with it in. I did disconnect the battery, but not the starter.
My next post will explain why I needed to jack the axle down...(or didn't)
Last edited by DFlintstone; 08-12-2016 at 02:32 AM.
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