Changing Rear Main Seal on 351C

[Anonymous]

Any of you guys changed the rear main seal on a 351C and if so did you have to pull the engine. Can it be done with just transmission pulled?

 

[napaguy]

Ed,
You can do it with the engine in the car but I wont do it that way again. Trying to get the old seal out and new installed while laying on your back is a PITA. It sucks but I would probably pull the engine to do it. Just my .02

 

[Starfury]

Depends on if it's a rope seal or not. If it's still got the original rope seal in it, you have to pull that out (PITA), then pull out the locating roll pins in the upper and lower seal lands, which means you need to drop the crank as well. This is much easier to do with the engine out of the car.

If it's got a modern style two-piece neoprene seal in it, you can do it with the engine in the car. It's still a pain, but it's doable.

 

[Anonymous]

I will keep an eye on the leak. Just surprised when the transmission guys had the transmission out they did not tell me it was leaking. Could have taken care of it then.

 

[daveSanborn]

Ed, nobody wants to change out your rear main seal. If I were the tranny guy, I'd have kept my mouth shut too. It's got to be the least enjoyable task on a classic Mustang. The work involved just to get to the seal is a PITA enough, nevermind actually changing the seal itself.

Keep your eye on it, and fix it when the car comes down hard for something else.... like a blown engine.

 

[Starfury]

Having done it recently (couple weeks ago), it's not THAT bad, assuming it's a two-piece rubber type. It's not by any means fun, but it's doable in an afternoon.

 

[Anonymous]

I will change it when I pull the engine and tranny to repaint the engine bay. So far the leak doed not leak anywhere and stops at the transmission lip.