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Elaborate Rear Main Seal Fix

DBenz

DBenz

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Manhattan, Kansas
Hey guys,

Like just about any Jeeper out there, I've got a rear main seal leak. I've found all of the write ups on how to do it and will be buying the parts shortly. My XJ has just shy of 93k on the clock, and I figured this would be the perfect time to go through it and replace just about everything I can, that's why I'm consulting you fellas in case I forgot some easy fixes while it's under the knife. So far I've got the obvious:

-rear main seal
-valve cover gasket
-oil pan gasket
-oil filter o-rings
-intake/exhaust gasket (got a 00 TJ intake manifold to swap on, may wait until I buy a header...)
-change tranny fluid
-change t-case fluid
- fuel filter/pump (figured I could do this, becuase I found an easy write up, parts are cheap off ebay, and I want to do it before I put on my rear bumper and gas tank skid)

Is there anything like an oil pan filter/pump that could be cleaned? I had my old 88 XJ put on a "motorvac" that suppsoedly cleaned out the carbon and it seemed to run better when i had it (about 2 years ago), would this be a good idea to do to mine before I start changing all of this? I plan on switching to a higher quality synthetic oil/oil filter. I appreciate all input/suggestions/comments. Just trying to change as much as possible at once.

BTW- 1997 XJ country (93k miles)

Derek
 
I'm just about to do the bearings/oil-pump/rear main on my 01 and decided to do a cycle of Auto-RX to help clean it out before I try. Might be worth a shot. I dunno how good it works yet we'll see in a couple thousand miles.

There is an oil pickup screen than can be cleaned with the pan off as well as a tranny fluid filter than can be changed.
 
DBenz said:
Hey guys,

Like just about any Jeeper out there, I've got a rear main seal leak. I've found all of the write ups on how to do it and will be buying the parts shortly. My XJ has just shy of 93k on the clock, and I figured this would be the perfect time to go through it and replace just about everything I can, that's why I'm consulting you fellas in case I forgot some easy fixes while it's under the knife. So far I've got the obvious:

-rear main seal
-valve cover gasket
-oil pan gasket
-oil filter o-rings
-intake/exhaust gasket (got a 00 TJ intake manifold to swap on, may wait until I buy a header...)
-change tranny fluid
-change t-case fluid
- fuel filter/pump (figured I could do this, becuase I found an easy write up, parts are cheap off ebay, and I want to do it before I put on my rear bumper and gas tank skid)

Is there anything like an oil pan filter/pump that could be cleaned? I had my old 88 XJ put on a "motorvac" that suppsoedly cleaned out the carbon and it seemed to run better when i had it (about 2 years ago), would this be a good idea to do to mine before I start changing all of this? I plan on switching to a higher quality synthetic oil/oil filter. I appreciate all input/suggestions/comments. Just trying to change as much as possible at once.

BTW- 1997 XJ country (93k miles)

Derek
Click to expand...

I would only change that tranny fluid if it is either dirty, burnt, leaking (change gasket), or shifting problems. In my experience, premature changing has had ill effects. That's my opinion.
 
While you have the oil pan off, and the pump removed, consider replacing the Oil Pump. It's cheap insurance.


Go to the stealership and get the one piece oil pan gasket. You will be glad you did.

John
 
GI-John said:
Go to the stealership and get the one piece oil pan gasket. You will be glad you did.
Click to expand...
NAPA has a great one-piece oilpan gasket, it's rubber with a steel core and made for a very painless swap when I replaced my rear main and oil pump pickup last year.
 
imma honky said:
I would only change that tranny fluid if it is either dirty, burnt, leaking (change gasket), or shifting problems. In my experience, premature changing has had ill effects. That's my opinion.
Click to expand...
No such thing as premature. If you had the time and money you could change the fluid every day and not have any problems. Same goes with motor oil, transfer case, power steering and diffs. The longer the fluid is installed the more the product breaks down and the less effective it is.

You've picked up an old wives tale.
 
I decided that the Rear Main is the messiest job I have ever done on my jeep. You have your arms up in the oil pan area so be prepared to get dirty!!

Other than that, I think you have it all covered. Don't forget to pack the new oil pump with vasoline. I forget where I read it but if the pump has air in it initially it can mess it up. I just got a big tub and stuffed it in there.

Good luck
 
I just replaced the rear main seal on my '88 4.0. When I was sliding the new upper seal half around the crank, I guess I didn't hold it tight enough to the shaft and that resulted a small sliver of rubber being shaved off the outer edge as it entered the block. Just something to keep in mind as you do yours. So far, it dosen't seem to have caused a problem (fingers crossed).
I also replaced the oil pump at that time, but honestly, I didn't see any real wear inside the old one with 120K on it.
 
Jeep914x4 said:
Don't forget to pack the new oil pump with vasoline. I forget where I read it but if the pump has air in it initially it can mess it up. I just got a big tub and stuffed it in there.
Click to expand...

I filled mine up with oil before installing it ... accomplished the same thing, I just had to be careful not to tip it too much while installing it.
 
scca28 said:
I just replaced the rear main seal on my '88 4.0. When I was sliding the new upper seal half around the crank, I guess I didn't hold it tight enough to the shaft and that resulted a small sliver of rubber being shaved off the outer edge as it entered the block. Just something to keep in mind as you do yours. So far, it dosen't seem to have caused a problem (fingers crossed).
I also replaced the oil pump at that time, but honestly, I didn't see any real wear inside the old one with 120K on it.
Click to expand...


That reminds me... One of the pieces of advice I got was to buy two seals right away because that might happen. Happened to me but I had an extra. :laugh3:
 
Thanks guys, i'll remember to buy 2 rear main seals jsut in case. Will i be able to buy the 1 piece oil pan gasket form say, Auto Zone? I have a buddy who works there and gives me a discount, so I am getting the rear main and valve cover gasket from him. Also, for the new oil pump, will I need to get this at the stealership? I'm udner the impression that the oil filter o-rings are only available through them, but I snagged the aprt number and subbosedly they are only about $3, so no problems there. Thanks for the help guys, if you can think of anything else let me know.
 
DBenz said:
Thanks guys, i'll remember to buy 2 rear main seals jsut in case. Will i be able to buy the 1 piece oil pan gasket form say, Auto Zone? I have a buddy who works there and gives me a discount, so I am getting the rear main and valve cover gasket from him. Also, for the new oil pump, will I need to get this at the stealership? I'm udner the impression that the oil filter o-rings are only available through them, but I snagged the aprt number and subbosedly they are only about $3, so no problems there. Thanks for the help guys, if you can think of anything else let me know.
Click to expand...

I picked up my 1-piece gasket from Advance Auto Parts along with the oil pump. Shouldn't have to go to the dealership for that. From what I have read,it is recommended that you use a new pick-up on a new pump. It has to do with the tube not sealing tight enough when you reinstall it. In my case, the pick-up was pretty hard to seperate from the pump, but it stilll had a nice tight fit when installed on the new pump. Also, there is a bracket on the tube that one of the pump bolts goes through, so I don't think there will be any problem with it working loose.
 
How much did you pay for the oil pump? I got a rear main seal, valve cover gasket, and one piece poil pan gasket, and oil filter o-rings, but half of th eitems were at the other store in town and the others had to be shipped fomr another town. I'll get an oil pump when I pick them up.
 
rstarch345 said:
No such thing as premature. If you had the time and money you could change the fluid every day and not have any problems. Same goes with motor oil, transfer case, power steering and diffs. The longer the fluid is installed the more the product breaks down and the less effective it is.

You've picked up an old wives tale.
Click to expand...

x583762

There are only two times changing tranny fluid could be bad. One, if you put the wrong stuff in, like say, motor oil, then that's definitely very bad.

The other is a potentially somewhat legitimate claim that when you have really old manual trannies that have never had the oil changed, it can be worse to change it. I've heard this as being a POSSIBILITY, but definitely not always the case, with manual transmissions. This possibility does not transfer over to autos.

The more you change the fluid in your auto, the better. If you have an XJ with an auto and you don't have a big tranny cooler up front, DO IT. It will significantly prolong the life of not only the tranny fluid but also the whole damn tranny.

/soapbox.
 
DBenz said:
How much did you pay for the oil pump? I got a rear main seal, valve cover gasket, and one piece poil pan gasket, and oil filter o-rings, but half of th eitems were at the other store in town and the others had to be shipped fomr another town. I'll get an oil pump when I pick them up.
Click to expand...

Melling Engine Parts PUMP-OIL Part Number: M81a $74.94
http://www.partsamerica.com, this is the web site that is linked from Advanceautoparts.com. I usually print out my shopping list and bring it to Advance. It's nice to walk into a parts place knowing how much you will be spending before you get there. The prices are exactly the same as what the counter guy pulls up on his screen. The site also used to tell you if the part was in stock at your local store. I think my pump was sent in from another nearby store and they had it for me the next day.
 
If your instructions dont tell you to do so, and in case you dont know, you should soak your rear main seal in fresh motor oil for an hour or more before you install it. I dont know why, it is just supposed to be done (so I read on a writeup).
 
I had hoped to help some people with this, as well as myself, good to here. I picked up a couple gaskets today, I'll be ordering the fuel pump fromt he guy on ebay (suggested by the write up on JeepForum), and probably get an oil pump in town too.

Has anyone done this "motor vac" to their rigs? I read a bit on the internet, and it said it cleaned the fuel system, but I didn't read anything about cycling through where the oil is. I want to get rid of any carbon that's on the valves and stuff like that before I change over to a synthetic oil.

I also read that the stock oil filter size for a H.O. XJ is 204 (renix 207), but I also read that a type 301 can directly bolt up to the H.O engines for a larger oil filter capacity. Not really sure aobut huge benefits, but it'd be more of a.........at a loss for words, too early in the morning. When you put something on jsut to make you feel better and know it is right, liek when guys do synthetic gear oil in their diffs. Uggh.....
 
i am going to be doing an ax15 swap on my 87 mj and i plan on doing all of this as well. any quick maintanance to a tranny, manual or auto for theoes that have one, that can be done before i instal it
 
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