Oil leak

[Jayro]

So I’m interested in your guys opinions. I have an oil leak on my 351 Cleveland. One mechanic obviously wanting to empty my bank account inspected and informed I’ve a rear main leak and I’ll get no change from $5000 aud. I then took it to an old school cord mechanic yesterday who feels that if the oil leak is making a mess on the front side of the bell housing inspection plate then he is leaning towards a sump seal.

I then took it to a mates workshop, threw it up on the hoist and thoroughly cleaned the whole area. Nipped up the sump bolt a touch. Drove it 45 minutes home and got under there today and found this. Any reason to be leaning more to sump seal or rear main seal?

Apparently if rear main then engine out. If sump we may be able to lift engine an inch or so and drop the sump out.

Cheers
Jase

 

[Hemikiller]

Rear main and oil pan use the same process, except you also need to drop the #5 main cap for the rear seal. No need to remove the engine especially if you have a lift.

 

[Stanglover]

Years ago when I was young, fit and agile, I did a rear main seal replacement laying on my back with the car on jack stands. That was after I exploded a clutch, replaced the clutch, then found the leak after just a few miles. Had to replace the clutch disc as well!
I was able to do this in a friends garage and if I remember, we raised the motor a couple of inches to drop the pan (sump) and yes, I did drop the rear main cap to replace the seal. Bit*h of a job, but doable. Take your time and make sure the 2 part seal is situated correctly.

 

[71ProjectJunk]

I just did the conversion and that is $3500 USD for a rear main seal, that is nuts. It is not an easy job but for $3500 I would certainly do it myself. If the engine is out of the car this is a relatively easy job, the issue is doing it with the engine in the car, but as previous posters have said, it can be done with the engine in the car. For $3500 you might as well buy or rent a shop crane and an engine stand and pull the engine and do it outside where it is nice and easy. Here is a video on how to do it:

 

[Stanglover]

I just did the conversion and that is $3500 USD for a rear main seal, that is nuts. It is not an easy job but for $3500 I would certainly do it myself. If the engine is out of the car this is a relatively easy job, the issue is doing it with the engine in the car, but as previous posters have said, it can be done with the engine in the car. For $3500 you might as well buy or rent a shop crane and an engine stand and pull the engine and do it outside where it is nice and easy. Here is a video on how to do it:

IF and I do mean IF I had to do it again, the engine would get pulled for sure. I can pull my motor in less than 2 hours and that with the gear box attached.

 

[will e]

Double check that you are not leaking form the oil sending unit on top.

 

[Don C]

Or the back of the intake manifold, or the valve covers. They can all give the appearance of a rear main leak.

 

[tony-muscle]

Yes. Check the manifold to china rails area.

 

[71ProjectJunk]

Yes. Check the manifold to china rails area.

I have quite a bit of an oil leak on my engine, and I can tell you that most of it is coming from the intake manifold rail area, both front and back, and that makes it seem like everything is leaking.