Rear main seal

[hawaiian89xj]

Ok i got everything off changed the seal replaced oil pan, now i was trying to put the trannie back on and the darn thing will just not line up correctly, i get about 1/4 inch from it being seated (the bell housing and the block but as much as we push and pull and tug it will just not get any closer, i tried just doing one side so i could get it to catch a thread or two but nothing anyone got any tips for me or a write up?

[XJJPR]

What tranny?

mark
orgs mfg

[GI-John]

Ouch!

Can't help you on the tranny part, but you didn't have to remove it to do the RMS.

[Eagle]

Two of the bell housing bolts go through hollow locating dowels. Sounds like maybe you're not lined up right and one or both dowels is hanging up.

[old_man]

My trick is to use a set of longer bellhousing bolts. They help align everthing and then pull it together. Since you had to pull the tranny, I suspect you are running the 2.5L. Is that correct.

Tom Houston

[hawaiian89xj]

no it's the 4.0

[gettinbetterXJ]

couldn't you just put the motor on a hoist, remove the motor mounts, lower the engine an inch or so hook up the bell housing bolts and then hoist it back into place? That may be way more work than you need, just seems to me like it might be easier than beating your head against it for days.

[gettinbetterXJ]

by the way where in hawaii are you? I just came from Oahu in Feb

[FatXJ]

I used a long screwdriver from the backside of the tranny through one of bell housing bolt holes and used it to guide (pry) the tranny into place. It slid right in.

[Bones]

I don't know why the FSM says to drop the tranny. It is not necessary! Sorry you had to go through all the extra work.

Bones
NAXJA #6

[Goatman]

Is the crank position sensor out of the way, or has it fallen down inside the bellhousing, so you're pushing against the wire that connects it. This would be about 1/4". It's a good way to ruin the wire running to the crank sensor, and frustrate the heck out of you while trying to stab the tranny.

Don't anyone ask me how I know this. :D

[hawaiian89xj]

oh boy am i an idiot, after i checked the torque converter for being set all the way in and another 4 hrs later we too the whole thing off to check everything again, we had a old jeep mechanic come over and he pushed the converter in place and bam it all went up first try, not to self don't do trannie work again, pay someone else

[XJJPR]

Originally posted by Mark Hinkley
What tranny?

mark
orgs mfg

I guess I wasn't clear here. I wasn't being a SmartA$$. I was asking to find out which tranny you had because each type hangs up differently while being installed. Even though you don't need to pull the tranny just to replace a remain seal on a 4.0.

mark
orgs mfg

[Beezil]

don't tell me you pulled the tranny off to do an oil seal did you????

yikes.

[ScottyDog]

Oh brudda, no can line up da pukas? Drink one 12 pack, eat some musubi, go surf and try again!

Mahalo Bra!

:arrowr:

[Casper]

OUCH!, write here first next time Bro. There is no need to pull the tranny to do a rear main seal. I have done two, on neither did we pull the seal. BTW, the second one is easier. Glad to hear you got it put together. Nothing worse than things not working out, and trying harder than you have too.
BTW, Richard you said don't ask, but because I know what you are talking about, I understand. Not that I did that as well..........HE HE HE..................

Casper

[hawaiian89xj]

ok i will take advise, i need help again, the darn thing still leaks, it appears to be comeing from the bell housing, possibly the rear half of the oil pan, what is recommened lbs for the oil pan bolts, plus discovered a new problem today after a test drive the thing started overheating, so i checked the obvious place first i was going to check the thermostat, well i was takeing the second bolt off and the filler neck cracked well there is most of my problem and i was looking for the thermo and there was nothing there, so i figure someone else took it out, or so i thought after i had everthing off (ok here goes a doosy) the thermo had rusted and fell in the block i mean rusted over years and what i thought was the orange coolant turned out to be strait rust and the thermo bypass hose was completly cloged with crude, the previous owner has to be the most incompatant person that ever owned a car, well now i have bought all new hoses can filler neck and thermo along with some coolant(possibly the first this beast has seen in years) well another thing i noticed is the electric fan does not work so i had to hot wire it to a toggle switch, when i first bought this jeep i made a joke it will be completly new when i am thru with it looks like i was right.

[old_man]

You may be fighting a simple rear valve cover leak. Get some carb cleaner and degrease everything. Did you lube the seal when you put it in? If not, it will instantly melt when the crank starts spinning before the oil gets there. There is another possible oil leak area that can mask itself. Check around the base of the distributor. The oil will run back along the oil pan rail and then down at the back.

Tom Houston
Loveland, Colorado

[hawaiian89xj]

no i did not lube the cork gasket, i just used some rtv to keep it in place, plus how do you get the pan out the oil sump pump keeps it from being removed

[XJJPR]

Did you replace the rear main or just the oil pan gasket. Anyways not sure what year you have but the Mopar gasket is a rubber formed one for the oil pan.

mark
orgs mfg

[89xj]

Ok i got everything off changed the seal replaced oil pan
???
did you replace the oil pan gasket or the rear main seal??

ok i will take advise, i need help again, the darn thing still leaks, it appears to be comeing from the bell housing, possibly the rear half of the oil pan

thats were the rear main leaks. if you changed the rear main(which im not sure if you did) it could be just some residual oil still in the bell housing.

[hawaiian89xj]

i replaced both of them, does anyone know the part number for the mopar gasket

[hawaiian89xj]

i checked to see if it is oil in the bell housing it is not i parked on a slight hill and the oil still leaks out from around of the rear main seal area, but i am going to check the rear of the valve cover

[XJJPR]

Do you have a FSM? If not you REALLY need to get one to learn how to do this stuff. No wonder you pulled the tranny. The axle on stock and lower lifts need to be dropped down a bit. The rear main seal for clearifing here is a two part round seal that goes around the crank in the back. The two parts are half moon looking. This cork gasket was it a Mopar part?

mark
orgs mfg

[Bones]

Mark Hinkley, "Do you have a FSM? If not you REALLY need to get one to learn how to do this stuff. No wonder you pulled the tranny. "

Mark, I only partially agree.
Yes, everyone that does anything beyond oil changes and new sparkplugs should have a FSM, but in this case, it may not have helped. My FSM says I have to drop the tranny too :( .
Glad I had NAXJA.

Bones
NAXJA #6

[XJJPR]

Bones,

What's going on, Long time no...

Well, now you know how much I read the FSM. I thought that is said that for just the 2.5L.

mark
orgs mfg

[Casper]

Holy late night Leno!!!!!!! In my previous post I said, " I have done two, on neither did we pull the seal.", and I must have had two many by that time. (Two many what??? hehe).. I meant was not seal but tranny. I am sure you that have done this job before knew what I was talking about anyway. If you have at least a 3" lift, you can jack the XJ up with the disco's disconnected, and that should give you enough room to get the oil pan out.......

Casper

[hawaiian89xj]

thanks for all the help guys but i am going to give up on this one, tomorrow morning i am buying a 91 with a 4 1/2 already installed, so now i am going to pull all the parts out of the 89 and return it to stock and sell it to someone else.

p.s. how do i change my screen name and what years did the XJ come with a rear tire mount, cause this new one i am getting has one i have pics but can not upload them can someone help?

[iispms]

I can't believe I just dropped the tranny.......I WISH THE SITE WAS NOT DOWN LAST NIGHT!!!!!