Slide hammer/rear main seal job.

[bgilbert]

I'm going to install a new rear main seal on my 90 engine I have sitting on the garage floor. I have the books, seal kit and pretty much know the routine, I just don't have the proper tools to do the job. I see I need a slide hammer and sheet metal screw to pull the old seal out of the rear cover. Is this a tool one has to fab up or can I pick something up at a parts store or shop? TIA, Bill.

 

[TKingsbury]

Put in a screw with a fair sized head and use a screwdriver with an appropriate fulcrum to pry it out. Might need 2 screws 180* apart.

Travis. .

 

[dpuckett]

Take a sheet metal screw (#10 works well) and punch it in with a hammer to break the surface of the old seal.



Screw it in with a screwdriver til it bottoms out.



Pull on it with a set of 10" Vice grips til it comes out.



Get your hammer and alignment/depth tool and drive the new one in.



You can also unbolt the housing from the block and do it similar to the way you do the front main when you take the timing cover off.



Daniel

 

[bgilbert]

Take a sheet metal screw (#10 works well) and punch it in with a hammer to break the surface of the old seal.



Screw it in with a screwdriver til it bottoms out.



Pull on it with a set of 10" Vice grips til it comes out.



Get your hammer and alignment/depth tool and drive the new one in.



You can also unbolt the housing from the block and do it similar to the way you do the front main when you take the timing cover off.



Daniel

Hmm sounds simple enough. The alignment/depth tool, is that the metal ring in the rear main seal kit?

 

[btoscano]

Yes... (same as the front seal kit)



Does the kit come with a clear plastic piece to go over the crank? That will help get the cover back on without damaging the $$ seal. It makes for a very hard fit but it does work. Just start threading the screws and all of a sudden the cover/seal will pop in place.

 

[1stgen4evr]

The alignment/depth tool, is that the metal ring in the rear main seal kit?



NO!!!! Not if you have the new type. That ring goes on the crank with the new seal. If you want a seal that doesn't use that ring, you will have to specify that. The ring is a wear ring to provide a 'new' surface for the seal. The seal you have will not correctly seal without the ring.



The new design/method requires a tool that presses both into the carrier and on the crank simultaneously. Mark has that tool which he just bought. I am to get/buy it from him when we can arrange a time to meet. PM him and get him to send you a picture of it. Also ask about the possibility of breaking the ring.



James

 

[bgilbert]

At first I wanted to buy both front and rear seals and wear sleeves. But when I was told I didn't get the install tool with them and they were $$$ - as in more than 100 bucks, I just got the seal only. Rear main only was ~$40, seal/wear sleeve was $79, but you would need the high dollar tool.



Well I'm confused now. I assume I got the latest greatest rear main kit. I gave them my serial number for a 90 6BT. Seal, oil 4089342. Kit, front seal service 3804899.

 

[pepecat]

a famous man once said "You've gotta pay to play" -b. gilbert

I borrowed the tool that came with the kit that quad 4x4 sells when I did the trans swap. it worked nice, and easy. someone must have that quad tool. anyone who has r&r'd a trans has done it.

 

[bgilbert]

a famous man once said "You've gotta pay to play" -b. gilbert

Hey now :-laf ... but in this case, it's you gotta pay to not have a little oil drip on your driveway :{ :-laf.

 

[btoscano]

Why do you need a tool? Can't you just look at the position of the existing seal in the cover and move it forward or backward a 1/16" of an inch or thereabouts? i. e. NOT in the same exact position as the existing seal? That is what experienced "mechanics" do as far as I know.

 

[1stgen4evr]

Keep in mind that I don't know exactly what you have and only post the alert about the new style. Again, if you use the seal that is made for the band, without the band (which is pretty thick) the seal won't hold oil. This is not a speedy sleeve that many are familiar with. It won't matter if you set it in a 'new' spot. And yes, it is common practice to tweak the position to move from an old wear spot. But that would be using the original type seal. I think you can get either kind. We have used a board and just smacked them in place and then used the flywheel to push it on up. But we have ruined a couple also. That is why I plan to get the tool from Mark. Mark also told me that he ruined a band trying to do it without good light and under the truck.



Just a heads up on this.



James

 

[bgilbert]

Why do you need a tool? Can't you just look at the position of the existing seal in the cover and move it forward or backward a 1/16" of an inch or thereabouts? i. e. NOT in the same exact position as the existing seal? That is what experienced "mechanics" do as far as I know.

The tool I am speaking of is a 'wear sleeve' install tool. It's in the Cummins T & R manual. I am not just talking about installing the rear main seal. No special tool(s) is needed for that.

 

[1stgen4evr]

The tool that Mark has is to be used in combination to install the seal and the wear ring together. There are lips and shoulders to hold the wear ring and the seal. The seal carrier is lightly in place with the bolts loose and the seal and the ring are installed at the same time. With the tool bottomed, the seal carrier is snugged thus trueing all the parts to the crank quite precisely.



Or that is how Mark explained it to me. I have never had my hands on it.



James

 

[bgilbert]

That's the tool James. Called a wear sleeve install tool. A wear sleeve/seal is one piece. This piece costs more than a seal alone. And the install tool is NOT cheap. I should be ok with a seal alone.