Rear Seal Replacement
Short answer: You can change the upper rear main rope seal with the engine in the car by rotating it out with the crank (no crank removal), but getting the pan off in-car is a miserable fight — most members agree it’s better to pull the engine and do it right.
With the bellhousing/flywheel already off, the engine pulls in ~4 hours with two people; the seal swap is then 1–2 hours, and you can reinstall the clutch from the bench (avoiding the awful under-car alignment). While you’re in there, do the rod and main bearings (a bent cotter pin “T” in the oil journal rolls them in/out without removing the crank) and the 30-year-old oil pump — seals usually start leaking because wear lets the part move, so address the cause too. Use engine assembly lube.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
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