Rear Main?

[daledozer]

I have replaced 2 rear main seals within a year and a half, they only last about a month and start leaking again. I noticed last time I did it there was a groove worn into the crankshaft, any tricks to get this to stop leaking? 295,000 miles on engine.

 

[sdstriper]

Did the rear main seals you replaced come as a "kit" with the plastic protective ring, the seal and the steel installer "depth tool" and did you install the seal onto the crank without lubricating either the crank or the seal. The seal is to be installed completely dry as is the crank supposed to be clean and dry.



They do sell a ready sleeve seal to use with worn crankshafts, front or rear.

 

[daledozer]

Yes, it was a kit, yes, installed dry. Cummins offer a sleeve? How does this not spin on the crankshaft?

 

[dpuckett]

They also sell a seal that is an upgrade from the double lipped Teflon seal that the parts stores carry. I forget what it is called, but one part rides on the crank, the other part on the housing, and it seals inside itself- worn areas on either one have no effect on the actual seal it makes. I had one for a short time, as I thought my cam plug was my O'Reilley rear main leaking after 2mo. Replaced the cam plug and returned the seal.



Daniel

 

[PToombs]

Dale! Sent you a PM!

 

[pepecat]

how bad was the seal leaking?

I think weeping is OK ...

 

[bgilbert]

I have replaced 2 rear main seals within a year and a half, they only last about a month and start leaking again. I noticed last time I did it there was a groove worn into the crankshaft, any tricks to get this to stop leaking? 295,000 miles on engine.

Well first off, I hope you haven't been wasting your time on non-Cummins parts. Second, either way if you used Cummins or junk, your crank has a groove, time for a wear sleeve. I don't understand your question about the 'how does it not spin deal'. But I'm no expert. The wear sleeve gives the oil seal a new surface with no grooves to ride on. The seal included with the wear sleeve will have a larger ID than the normal seal only. Once you install this sleeve, the normal seal will not fit. You'll have to get the wear sleeve oil seal. But if all goes well, this seal should last another 300k miles.



The book says you need the high dollar install tool. Said the same thing about installing a wear sleeve at the front of the crank. Well I didn't use any high dollar tools for my recent front wear sleeve install. 2x4, flat steel, and a hammer jockeyed the sleeve in position enough til I could use the harmonic balancer/damper to pull the sleeve over the crank. I would think you could do the same with your flywheel. Lube up the crank OD and wear sleeve ID with clean engine oil. Tap it into place with a 2x4/flat steel and hammer, until the flywheel bolts can pull it onto the crank with use of the flywheel. Alternate each bolt til the flywheel is completely flush. Remove the flywheel, install your new oil seal.



Anyone think this will work or bad idea?

 

[DVolk]

Rear Main ?

I never put one on a cummins but i have on sevral yokes and axels



the ware sleaves , the best way to do so is get a metal can put enough oil in it to cover the speedy sleave , or ware sleave , some people call them other names , heat the oil to a boil or to were the oil smokes , this exspands the sleave then locks it into place

 

[daledozer]

Thanks for the input guys. Dam Bill, you sure are a hillbilly, like the way you think. I did not know how the seal would fit with the sleeve, sounds like the new seal is specially designed to fit with the sleeve, and yes I used Cummins parts. Pepecat, no seeping here, leaves a puddle on the ground.

 

[PToombs]

The "special tool" is designed to put the seal/sleeve on to the correct depth.

Bill's last big dollar part didn't come in a box with a blue C on it either!

I agree, he's a hill Billy! :-laf