keppelk Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 I started putting in a new rear main seal today (Fel-pro, but NOK like the Subaru one). Got the old one out no probs, using a self tapping screw and a claw hammer to pull out. Greased the new one, lined it all up and started pushing just with my fingers. Pushed harder and harder with no movement, until it suddenly gave. One side has gone way in, the other side not so much. I've tried gently tapping my way around the seal with a hammer. Then tried using the old seal as a guide, and tapped on that some more. Can seem to get the 'out' side any further in. And can't think of any non-destructive ways to get the 'in' side back out. Question is should I keep trying to even up the seal by pushing in, or admit that I've cocked up and order a new seal (pull the un-even seal). Any tips much appreciated, as self-taught mechanic and definately still learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Pull it back out and if it's not damaged retry the operation. It needs to go in more-or-less evenly all the way around. A seal driver would be best but obviously everyone doesn't have one. I use a small ball-peen hammer to work slowely around the seal and drive it in evenly with shallow movement's. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rxleone Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Yeah, seals are meant to go in somewhat evenly. You can't hit one side in then the other. Try to find a socket with a diameter the size of the seal, and wail on the end of that with a hammer to get it in evenly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 the rear main seal is the most likely to leak after install too. personally i'd remove it and go with a Subaru unit on the rear. i've had felpro seals leak and be noticeably unfitting. i've also used FelPro seals plenty of times too, but for the rear main i like just getting one from Subaru. there's also numerous threads about rear main seals leaking soon after install - so they're obviously not very forgiving. Mr. Radon and Steve (XNRSG or whatever is user name is) are two i can think of off the top of my head and they know what they're doing. Mr. Radons was a fel pro seal as well i believe. Anyway - if the seal looks compromised at all I'd junk it. And make sure it seats in flush as you tap it in. Use some pipe or PVC as a seal installer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 i always try to leave the seal alone as long as it is not leaking, for this matter alone. why compromise a good seal? they rarely fail, and in my opinion are only worth the hassle if the orig one is obviously bad. i boogered up a front crank seal once, where the inner lip of the seal was protruding. i was able to stuff the lip back into the seal with a small pick, and to my surprize, she went together without any leaks, when i was almost certain i had ruined it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWD TURBO! Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 use lock tite and a subaru Rear main seal ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keppelk Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 So I took the FelPro (NOK, same as Subaru OEM) seal out today. Put a 1.5mm hole in it with a drill then used a hook to remove. Seal was in perfect condition (very unhappy when I realised I'd drilled a hole in a perfect new seal). New Subaru seal wasn't expensive luckily. I installed it with a PVC pipe cap. All went in dead straight this time . Have it mostly in, but am getting an engineer friend to come and help me line it up. With the 0.3mm maximum out-of-squareness the FSM gives I figure I should get it perfect to avoid leaks. Not hard to be out over a 100mm diameter seal by 0.3mm, which might explain some leaks after replacement (no offense intended). Forgot to mention in my original post that the old seal was leaking a lot. The cover plate between bellhousing and transmission was coated with a thick layer of oil+clutch dust goop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Txakura Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 mine pees on the crossmember and keeps the front cat from rusting it smells good when you come to a stop, no word yet on whether I can change my license plate to 'Get-O'... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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