Your friendly neighborhood FNG here, my rear main has been leaking for quite some time now and iv decided i should just go ahead and start me research here. Iv heard alot of horor stories about rope style seals in general, how difficult they are to install correctly and possible pulling the engine just to properly get at it. But iv also heard that some retro-fiting might be possible, swithing to a none-rope style seal. Any and all input is welcome guy, thank you.
I used this kit from T/A Performance, worked great! There are threads on here about installing it. I did it with the engine in the car while I had the trans out. Wasn't too bad. 2 years so far and holding. http://www.taperformance.com/products.asp?cat=84
use a ford 460 rear main seal. i always fill (FILL! No air gaps!) the sides with rtv. side seals are dumb and never go in right. let it cure for 24 hours and have at it.
See BOP Engineering brand seal and installations instructions here: http://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/bop-455-rear-seal-install-step-by-step.301130/
I have had good luck with rope seals. Undoubtedly the neoprene seal is more user friendly. If installed correctly the rope seal will work fine. I wouldn't hesitate to run one if you have it already.
In the Buick service manual, there is a procedure for repairing the rear seal in the car. I've done it many times. I did it in my Cutlass probably 15 years age and it still isn't leaking. You remove the rear bearing cap, pack the old seal in the upper half. Measure how far the seal is in the block. You then cut a piece of the old seal from the cap 1/16" longer than your measurement and pack it in the block. Put a new seal in the cap and install the cap. Don't forget to use sealant between the cap and block. Just use a very small amount. Make sure that you use brake clean on the cap and block surface before you put the sealer on. I use GM #1052942 gasket maker. It's a sealer that dries under pressure without oxygen.
The neoprene seals are the most commonly used seals and for the most part work great. Every once and a while you get one that leaks for some reason and you have to replace it again. We have a graphite rope type seal that works nicely as well; I had one in my engine for quite a while. Now my engine has the best seal that we sell, a 1 piece Viton. It's $85, but it's the most fool proof seal and has the best sealing characteristics. You put it on the crank like a piston ring on a piston and drop the crank into the block, it is much easier if you have 2 people doing it.
Yes, you have to have the engine out of the car to install the one piece seal. The neoprene is the easiest to install with the engine in the car.
hey everyone thank you for the info, today i ordered a 2 piece vitron ford 460 seal (working at a NAPA comes in handy) a fel-pro BS 40654, anyone have any experence with the 460 seal in that material?
I used the fel-pro 460 seal, but can't remember if it was neoprene or vitron. No problem installing, and it has never leaked. Tried the rope seal thing first, but I think it is still stuck to the wall of the shop after I threw it as hard as I could in frustration.
