old and new style of rear main seal?

I've searched the board and can't find any reference to an old and new style rear main seal. I ordered a replacement seal from the dealer for my 89. I expected the set to look like the old one I pulled out...like this:

http://www.neow.org/images/rms/rear_main.jpg

(bottom piece to have tabs)

but what I got was two identical halves (brown) with no tabs and the dealer insisting this is the new and improved seal and it fits all years. Is he blowing smoke and I got two top halves? ...or, if not, do I need to worry about extra silicone where the tabs would have set in the lower cap?

thx, Terry

that is a new one to me, so I think that tomorrow I am going to go and harrass my local Jeep dealer, myself. will post findings.

You got the wrong parts - should be the same as the pic.

Jim

While you're at it, if your XJ has high mileage, you might consider getting the special Fel-Pro seal that has a double lip for worn crankshafts. Various auto parts places have them.

Do you have to take the trans out to change the rear main? I know on my 440 in my 64 truck I did, but I also know that in some vehicles you do not have to. Mine is starting to leak. Thanks

I'm pretty sure you can do it with the trans in place. You just have to drop the oil pan and have some patience.

try the "search" feature for rear main. And, no, you do not have to mess with the tranny. As for the seal that the 1st poster recieved, my local stealership does not know anything about a "new&improved" seal design, so I would take it back, and go to the loacl parts house.

87manche said:

I'm pretty sure you can do it with the trans in place. You just have to drop the oil pan and have some patience.

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Just is a four letter word.

ren said:

. As for the seal that the 1st poster recieved, my local stealership does not know anything about a "new&improved" seal design, so I would take it back, and go to the loacl parts house.

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thanks for the confirmation...what worries me is I forced the parts guy to go talk to a mechanic and that's how I got the "new and improved" story. He finally agreed to order another one to compare.

I'll also look into the double lip Fel-pro. Seems the opinion on this forum though is about 50/50 (for/against) a non OEM seal.

ITMW I'll keep myself covered in oil replacing the CCV system and getting the oil pump back together.

8Mud said:

Just is a four letter word.

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Yes. Don't underestimate getting that damned oil pan off if your XJ isn't lifted.

Couple things to consider before doing the RMS:

- Get a good oilpan gasket; the Victor seal from NAPA is a one-piece rubber-coated wire seal that holds very well. There are no worries with trying to seal the gaps between pieces this way.

- Drop the exhaust downpipe from the manifold to make sure you have enough room to get the oilpan off around the oil pickup.

- Pick up a new oil pickup tube; you're going to be in there anyway.

- Be prepared to lift the Jeep if it isn't already. With 4.5" lift on my XJ I was able to remove the oilpan with the Jeep on all four tires, but anything shorter is very likely to have axle-to-oilpan interference so plan ahead.

- Soak both halves of the new seal in clean oil. The bottom can only go
into the cap one way, because it fits into grooves in the cap. Follow
the instructions that come with the seal, and make sure that the open
shape ( > ) of the seal faces in, toward the crank.

- There is a small metal clamp that runs across the rear of the oilpan to help press it in place once you have everything in place. Don't lose that.

Jim

Helpful Hint -

If you don't have any lift on your rig (yet,) get a jack and a couple stands. Lift the front end up and support it with stands FROM THE CHASSIS so the axle hangs at "full droop." This makes it MUCH easier to remove the pan!

As far as lifted rigs, I've done a rear main on my 87 w/3" & 31's with all four feets on the ground without any issues...

5-90

As a bit of an update, the original rms package that I got from the dealer was indeed a set of uppers. The new package contains both upper and lower (with tab) pieces. A it turns out, it was bit fortunate that I had the extra uppers as I am having a heck of a time getting the upper seal back in without tearing the backside. One down, two to go...

May have to resort to using a second set of hands to turn the crank.

cheers, Terry

i had the same problem i orderd a set of mopar seals and they were both top halvs so i went and bought the felpro rms

I went through 3 uppers. I used a brass punch to place pressure on the side of the seal to try to flatten it out as I worked it in very slowly. Long oil soak may have helped. I forced some assembly lube ahead of the seal - maybe that helped too. Some verbal encouragement always helps.

Yucca-Man said:

You got the wrong parts - should be the same as the pic.

Jim

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NOPE... the new ones have no tangs on the lower part. YES, they work just fine and your Jeep dealer is correct.

Matthew Currie said:

While you're at it, if your XJ has high mileage, you might consider getting the special Fel-Pro seal that has a double lip for worn crankshafts. Various auto parts places have them.

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Listen to this guy. Screw the seal that you get at the dealer. That same exact seal got hard and allowed oil to leak. Chances are that there is a little groove worn in the crank where the stock seal contacts it. Ask around, many people will tell you about changing the rear main and it doesn't stop the leak! (I'm one of em). The solution is the double lip seal that contacts the crank just forward and backward of where it originally made contact, so it's on a hopefully fresh, unworn part of the crank. If the seal wasn't leaking for long, you may have success with the replacement stock seal.

I've had luck with that white assembly lube, I have a huge tube of it from when I used to have a bunch of 4wheelers and dirtbikes, they recommended it for all the top end parts for the dry startup after the fresh rebuild. That top seal can definitely be tricky!! If you got the old one out though, you should be able to get the new one in!! Good luck.