Rear Main Seal...I Hope I`m Right..

[Fairmonco]

Ok,so my rear main seal let go on the way to the Cliffs last Sunday.I just now pulled it in the garage in anticipation for the fixing part of it.

I assumed I would have to pull the trans out....but now after reading up on the subject,it looks like I can get away with just dropping the pan,is this true???

[riverfever]

Yeah just drop the pan. If you're lifted, it will be easier. I'm at 3" and took out the starter and the steering stabilizer.

[8Mud]

Just is a four letter word. :)

[Fairmonco]

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!

I`m at 6.5" on 35`s,so clearence is not a problem!

Ohhhh Happy Days...........

[Gil BullyKatz]

make sure to use a brass punch...

[Saudade]

Just is a four letter word. :)

No kidding!! It took me longer to drop the pan and clean all of the gasket material off than it did to complete the rest of the job, including cleanup.

[Rocketman]

YUP... oil pan removal is the hardest part of the job.

[Matthew Currie]

Make sure too that you at least check the oil filter adapter for leaks (O-rings), because it's a common source of leaks that look like a bad rear seal, and in my experience, rear seals are less likely to "let go" in a hurry than those O-rings are.

[XJawgi]

Make sure you have another person there so one can push the seal into place while the other turns crank..makes things a lot easier. If you have a lift, the oil pan should come down rather easy.

[Eagle]

Allow me to just add that all of the above responses are predicated on your having a 4.0L 6-cyl engine. Your profile doesn't say. The 4-cyl engine uses a one-piece RMS that does require pulling the tranny to replace.

[lawsoncl]

Also check that it's not the valve cover, by checking if the back of the block is wet.

[Fairmonco]

It is a 4.0....I can`t even think of havin a 4cyl.

[Fairmonco]

And I know its the rear main,already fixed the valve cover gasket a couple months ago.

[jfiscus]

I have an 85 4cyl with an auto tranny, I assume that I have to pull the tranny to do the rear main. :(
I will also doublecheck the oil filter for leaks before starting anything.

The 4.0L 2-piece seal is nice & easy to change on a lifted XJ, sucks that it won't be so easy on the 4cyl.

[dogsled1]

Make sure too that you at least check the oil filter adapter for leaks (O-rings), because it's a common source of leaks that look like a bad rear seal, and in my experience, rear seals are less likely to "let go" in a hurry than those O-rings are.

The o-rings are such a common replacement item at the dealership, the local guys just keep them at the counter. Before I even finished tellin the guy what I wanted he had them on the counter and had given me the price...