mcnea001 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 1995 Subaru Legacy L wagon ej22 Got the flywheel off. Looks like I have the plastic oil separator plate. Week be swapping for metal. Thoughts on the rear main seal. Pic attached. Should I swap it out? Board seems to dissuade people from removing...but it looks like it is leaking around bottom. Thanks Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstevens76 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I would change it since it's leaking. Two reasons the board dissuades, 1. You have to drive and seat it correctly or its going to leak and the only way to change it again us to pull the engine. 2.) They don't go bad very often so most of the time people say (only replace if leaking). i.e. don't plan on doing it until you actually see a leak. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocei77 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 (edited) That's not a rear main leak. Thats overspray from the plate. I'd leave it. If you decide to do it, the seal should be flush or a hair below the boss. When doing seals of this type I use a small block of wood which spans the diameter and tap it around the circumference. O. Edited August 26, 2015 by ocei77 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 (edited) it's not leaking, do not replace it. they usually last the life of the car. do not temp fate, it is NOT leaking. possible outcomes if you replace it, it cannot get any better, it isn't going to put clean oil back into your engine. it could stay the same, still not leak. or it could get worse, it could start to leak. best to leave it alone. good luck. Edited August 27, 2015 by johnceggleston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnea001 Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 Ok. This board has not done me wrong yet....so I am going to trust in the USMB and NOT pull the rear main seal. If I have to pull it again...y' all are coming over Thanks again! Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 That's just crud slathered around from the separator plate. Replace the o-ring behind the access plate on the other half of the block. Those leak too. RTV works if you can't get the O-ring, just be sure to get the surfaces VERY clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstevens76 Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 That's a lot of oil on the bottom of the main seal to be just crud, but you never know. As for them never leaking, I have to disagree. I have a Phase 2 EJ22 w/ the steel separator plate in my car that the Separator plate was "NOT" leaking on yet the rear main was. I have a Phase 2 EJ22 w/ the steel separator plate in my garage that again, the separator plate is now showing any leaking, but the rear main is (at 194k miles, but also a bad rod). I've also seen others with the rear main leaking. They do not always last the life of the car, they are a seal and can (and eventually will) fail simply because you have metal rubbing on a rubber surface it's going to wear. Personally there is enough crud on that main seal, and towards the top where the separator plate leak appears towards the bottom, I would replace it. But I've done a lot of rear mains and already learned how to seat one properly (after you have to repull an engine a couple of times you quickly learn how to do it right). What does concern me on that (would need to see a picture after it's cleaned up) is that the top of it looks like it may be gouched a little. You can't tell until it's cleaned up. What you don't mention is how many miles are on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnea001 Posted August 28, 2015 Author Share Posted August 28, 2015 That's a lot of oil on the bottom of the main seal to be just crud, but you never know. As for them never leaking, I have to disagree. I have a Phase 2 EJ22 w/ the steel separator plate in my car that the Separator plate was "NOT" leaking on yet the rear main was. I have a Phase 2 EJ22 w/ the steel separator plate in my garage that again, the separator plate is now showing any leaking, but the rear main is (at 194k miles, but also a bad rod). I've also seen others with the rear main leaking. They do not always last the life of the car, they are a seal and can (and eventually will) fail simply because you have metal rubbing on a rubber surface it's going to wear. Personally there is enough crud on that main seal, and towards the top where the separator plate leak appears towards the bottom, I would replace it. But I've done a lot of rear mains and already learned how to seat one properly (after you have to repull an engine a couple of times you quickly learn how to do it right). What does concern me on that (would need to see a picture after it's cleaned up) is that the top of it looks like it may be gouched a little. You can't tell until it's cleaned up. What you don't mention is how many miles are on it? Sorry...it has 186K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hzimmerman1111 Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Whether a seal leaks or not is not voodoo. With 186 K miles I would replace. If you have not worked a lot with rear main seals, the important things are to put it in square and straight - I found a cereal bowl that was just the right diameter for the EJ25 I just did. Lightly oil the inside lip. Note the ridges there on inside seal lip. They slant in the direction to coax the oil back into the crank case so give them a head start on life instead of putting the rubber next to dry metal. Lightly oiling the outside will cause it to seat a lot more easily. Take your time. Double check your work. Use a Subaru OEM or Fel-pro seal. Don't use excessive force. You will feel the stop when it bottoms out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pearlm30 Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Hi mcnea001 Just curious if you replaced the rear main seal??? I am kind of in the same boat. I have hear almost all brown(viton) rear main seals never leak. But not sure about the black rear main ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Black means it's been replaced. Put a Viton one back in. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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