LS Rear Main Seal Warning! Don't Do This!

[@falcorthewonderdog2758]

Kent More tools makes a dowel kit that you install as guides to install the rear cover. If your doing the oil pan gasket you do it first and finish with the rear cover and rear main seal. Not reading the instructions in the manual or just winging it will cause problems. Follow the correct assembly procedure and youll never have an issue. Pan first read cover and seal and final assembly. Retired GMC / Chevy/ Cadillac tech 30 years in the service bay.

[@Tyrel_156]

I just had my rear main seal replaced and it was still leaking, so they replaced the oil pan gasket and it's leaking worse. They told me now it's probably a crankshaft creep issue, but I think I just need to do it myself and make sure I follow the correct steps. Thanks for sharing

[@timothymundy966]

they may have botched it and aren't wanting to take responsibility. if you do end giving it a go take pictures of the leaking oil and seal so that if you're successful when you're done you can prove they messed up and get your money back

[@bricehale6593]

Im having same issues cost me 1000$ and now its worse i dont have the money to do anything about it tho​@@timothymundy966

[@RussellBooth1977]

I watched a video where Chris Bruno replaced the rear main oil seal in his LS6 powered Chevrolet Camaro before I replaced it in my 2002 model Holden VY SS Commodore which runs the 5.7 litre Chevrolet LS1 V8 engine which is Australian built. I bought the seal & carrier gasket 8 years ago because its easier to fit the seal when you're lying on your back at home & replacing the rear main oil seal because it's easier to take it off the engine then fit the new seal on a work bench. The gasket was also brittle as well & it's also a leak point on these engines,I just fitted the seal plate & sealed the mating surfaces on the oil pan gasket with RTV silicone sealant then I fitted the 8 millimetre bolts finger tight then I rotated the crankshaft a couple of times to centralise the oil seal then I tightened up the 2 long 7 millimetre bolts up after torquing the 8 millimetre bolts. It hasn't leaked since & I have also replaced the oil pan gasket since I needed to remove the oil pan to do a timing chain replacement in the engine,I loosely tightened the oil pan to transmission bolts up so they were just finger tight first prior to torquing down the 8 & 7 millimetre oil pan bolts about 6 years ago then after I torqued them up I tightened those oil pan to transmission bolts. The engine hasn't leaked for about 6 years but I did have to replace the valve rocker cover seals again this year because they were leaking oil 5-6 years after I replaced them, the bolt seals just go hard & brittle !

[@seanlevoy9446]

A couple of years ago I changed my oil pump, oil pan gasket etc. This is a major consideration for both the front and back covers. Great video.

[@1pcmedic]

If you have to do the rear main seal, do yourself a favor and purchase a new kit that contains the rear cover, seal and gasket for about 35.00 There are fine threads in the rear cover where the 2 long bolts come up through the back of the oil pan. If the threads are starting to fail in the aluminum you will not be able to pull the oil pan to mate with the rear cover and you will get a leak, but it will not be the rear main seal leaking........ There are also several seal housing alignment tools out there for about 25.00 to 40.00 well worth doing the job ONCE!

[@dmna7609]

Amazing how a lot of this trouble could be avoided if chevy/GM had just used 2 doweled bolts to hold the plate in just the right spot. Just like Honda did on their timing covers, just the 2 at the bottom.

[@RobertnJackieTownley]

2005 GMC Yukon has had 5 transmissions, 7 rear main seals replaced, and now it gushes oil again. Hoping it is the oil pressure sensor sender. Or some plate next to starter mentioned in another ur video. Cannot be a good design.

[@RobertnJackieTownley]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJOnfmd6bsx2eNUsi=7kqIv-Iia9nkW6Oh About four minutes in, “Wrenching with Kenny” shows a leak at the starter plate(?) which also requires dropping the transmission.

[@seanlevoy9446]

But then it wouldn't be any fun.

[@jeyzDfoo]

I wish I watched this BEFORE doing my oil pan 😫 Thanks for making this video - it helps to know what I did wrong!

[@mikeypooh1]

I’m rebuilding my engine right now and this information comes at a good time.

[@octane_matty]

Thanks for the advice - recent member of the doing it twice club

[@01SilveradoLT]

Stumbled upon this....your intro in this video has me rolling on the floor laughing 😂. Probably the combo of the sarcasm and the tone of your voice. Thanks for the laugh. Good advice too! I had no idea there was an alignment tool for the seal.

[@brettdajett444]

same but im buying it first hahaha

[@RC-zm1ir]

Dude you just saved me from having to drop this trans twice! Thank you so much great info man!

[@brettdajett444]

I"m replying on your comment. Dude i rebuilt my LS1 on a 02 camaro ss.. fired it up had a leak still. took apart the manifold changed cam sensor changed all the sensors that even enter the engine block.. still had a leak.. welp its my rear main seal. awesome.. this shows me so much about where the leak is coming from and him saying it will gush oil or whatever was pretty accurate for my leak.. Tomorrow I will change it. I was told it is most likely not my rear main but here we are.The weakest link has been found and will be voted off the island...... sorry too much time under a car or in an engine bay. hahaha

[@RC-zm1ir]

@@brettdajett444 I still have a leak and can't find it for the life of me....oh and loosing oil pressure when warm now too...new o ring, cam retainer plate,had 40 to 60 psi warm before cam swap....FML

[@erik120719]

@@RC-zm1ir didn't change cam bearings I'd imagine. Or possibly knicked bearings putting cam in....that sicks

[@codygatti8358]

This happened to me doing a rear main on my truck. I went to crank it and literally a quart would dump out in like 3 seconds. I wanted to die when it happened

[@eldianmolina4920]

I had to drop mines twice bcuz i didnt know that

[@supersoldier05]

On the Corvette you will be pulling out the rear sub frame, rear end, transmission and torque tube to get to that rear main seal and a clutch or flywheel depending on if it’s a manual or auto car. 👌🏻

[@victorjbarker]

Thanks for the tip. The gm dealership did my oil pan gasket, oil pick up tube seal and did this exact mistake. Plus they broke my previously working oil level sensor. My rear main leaks like crazy afterwards.

[@mexicanamerican21]

The inner gasket around the plate and the actual seal itself needs to be replaced and put liquid gasket around.

[@areuaware6842]

And the leak is not the main seal as most people believe, it is leaking from the rear main housing gasket around the pressurized oil passage. Always leaks on the right hand side because that is the direction of the oil flow and the most pressure.

[@trailerparkcryptoking5213]

Is this passage in the block and the cover seals it? And to fix this issue does it require a new gasket which virtually requires replacing the rear main seal anyway?

[@areuaware6842]

@@trailerparkcryptoking5213 , Yes, the rear engine cover gasket seals it and the rear engine cover houses the rear main seal so yes rear main seal too. Because the proper assembly sequence is end covers first and oil pan last I just pulled the engine to do it right. Did the front engine cover at the same time, glad I did, that gasket came out in pieces, totally shot. That let me address a few other things at the same time like the oil sump o-ring. Had a few broken exhaust manifold bolts so I was able to get them out and replace them too, this would have been impossible with the engine in. And there are pressurized oil passages that go through the oil pan gasket to the oil filter which is mounted on the oil pan.

[@tomtrajnowski4266]

You are correct those three bolts on the right side are usually lose

[@oliverrodriguez546]

Great advice, too bad I found this video after I made that exact mistake, now I gotta do a rear main seal in a 4 wheel drive.

[@crispinnable]

🙀

[@brettdajett444]

did you get it fixed?

[@Corsairforu]

With that U-joint yoke at :55 sec mark I'm thinking this was a 4x4.

[@edgarcruz4034]

Couldn’t explain it better than that. Thanks

[@tempest411]

It sounds like GM made life a lot harder for it's customers by omitting the alignment pin. A pair of alignment pins should be easy enough to add if you can find two safe places to drill into the block.

[@joetrevino4805]

Ive had trouble with the Chevy 5.3 rear main seals. If you just buy the seal you will get these problems. But if you buy a new plate it's much easier. They sell them in a set, guess that's the fix.

[@williamdefeline1800]

You would still have the same alignment issue.

[@amishadowbanned6264]

You still have to align it

[@trailerparkcryptoking5213]

How do you positively align the seal if it’s already in the plate?

[@joetrevino4805]

@@trailerparkcryptoking5213 the seal with plate or not should come with a plastic sleeve that is already slid inside seal and sits on edge of crankshaft to align. If your seal does not come with plastic sleeve then your seal will not hold position to hold oil since the sleeve protects seal and is alignment tool

[@joetrevino4805]

@@trailerparkcryptoking5213 the biggest problem is reusing the old plate after taking it off. It becomes warped and wont hold oil

[@robertkowalczyk2725]

I was wondering why mine still leaks, very informative and sad video.

[@andyking9673]

check the cam position sensor---mine was leaking into the bellhousing just like the rear seal or plate was leaking

[@brettdajett444]

both my cam sensor was leaking and now ive figured out my rear main. that cam sensor is fkn stupid. and the location of the oil pressure sensor right next to it haha learned i was running bluetooth oil pressure sensor for a few years.. hahahha dang gm building pure american freedom and pure american frustration haha .

[@sala8704]

Thanks for the tip. Very helpful.

[@iamasmurf1122]

ALL PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO DO IS FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS IN A WORKSHOP MANUAL !! im amazed how no one reads them on a lot of jobs like this that they do

[@Corsairforu]

Not many but GM Mechanics probably have access to that info.

[@areuaware6842]

One of my favorite personal sayings is, "Everyone seems to know how to read but few know when to read."

[@shanenorman8774]

What is the torque specs for those bolts....wished I would have seen this before I changed my oil pan gasket.

[@CharmleysChopShop]

Rear main seal install...I've seen people loosely install bolts, spin the motor over a few times and then tighten to spec?

[@Nudnik1]

Excellent tip 👍

[@NevinFritz]

Thank you. About to do mine this weekend!

[@MeMe-td7tr]

Transmission dust cover,not transmission bolts

[@Rocksolidhandyman]

Yikes! Thanks for the heads up!

[@rickybailey7123]

The Plate that holds the rear main oil seal comes lose and leaks at the plate gasket I've seen then so lose I could take them out with my fingers so make sure to lock tight and get the parts from the dealer only well that's the only way I will do it not leaking on my name with cheaper parts to much work for that bs !! And u know it's 4x4 !!

[@jjones9290]

If you're truck is over 100k and you do the pan gasket do yourself a favor and just do it all while you're there(pan, rear cover and rear main). It doesn't matter how careful you are if you replace the pan gasket once you retorque the two long back bolts that cover is shifting. It's this bs that makes me favor the l31s over the ls. GM and all domestic manufacturers have steadily gone downhill in quality for over 2 decades!

[@SuperDerrick1973]

Awesome video!!! Thanks u so much. This video was extremely helpful!!!!

[@richarcm]

I used zip ties to hold my oil pan up. Last year when I replaced the pan gasket. But I may have still done something wrong. Because now my seal is leaking.

[@thomashoggatt297]

Simply THANK YOU.

[@richardmckibben2384]

Really cool information I just learned that one and now I'm gonna charge more for it cause they did the pan

[@shawnlibby675]

You see that big aluminum cover with all the bolts in it behind that there's a few different seals that leak that's why they spoil way at the top of the motor there's oil leaking from behind that big plate that goes around the rear main seal 90% of people change a oil pan gasket and the rear main seal and still have a leak because need to pull that big aluminum cover off with all those bolts and then behind their there is more seals there is even a seal above that remain

[@areuaware6842]

Pan installs after the engine end covers.

[@briansansone]

invaluable info. man , thank you

[@briansansone]

The older vortec 4.3 also has a rear cover with bolts on it, that the oil pan attaches to. It looks different than this 5.3, , but im sure thats why mine failed: Badly leaking at only 100K. Its a replacement upgraded engine. I can clearly see that if you tighten the nuts, that go on the rear main bolts, you can easily throw off the rear main seal's eccentricity. I cant remember if there are pins, to align it on the 4.3, but i bet not. I bet I tightened the oil pan incorrectly. I followed the retail repair book's steps. None of this is referenced in the book. . All the book says is that the oil pan is a "structural part" of the engine. I bet that if I left those two for last, it wouldnt be leaking now. Another hint is that all the other anchors are bolts. Those two are nuts. Live and learn. Thanks for the info!

[@Brake0722]

I have my mechanic I trust that is gonna do this service. ITs expensive but what isnt these days. Plus he has 20 yrs GM/chevy/caddi expereince and has done these hundreds of times.

[@stevebastien4787]

Thank you, appreciate it

[@Im1withU]

This is a good tip; thank you

[@John.Sganga]

Amazing video! Great content to help others! Good man 🙌

[@abiemoreno97]

where could I get this tool?

[@joeamez7041]

I have. 2000 ls1 5.7 that I need to do the main seal. Does this process apply to that mtr thanks

[@Corsairforu]

YES.

[@knifethrower9733]

I'm doing it again soon 🤦got the alignment tool in the mail 🤦 listen to this guy 🤣

[@areuaware6842]

Pan goes on last after the engine end covers.

[@carloseger1379]

When replacing the rear main can I just pull the seal out an d push the new one in . Not removing that plate. ??

[@um8440]

why would u not replace the plate seal when u are right there? Its cheap ins to do it.

[@diversity2739]

thanks, good stuff!

[@nathanrodriguez9140]

what year is this engine I have a 07 ls swap that needs this done

[@elvergudo1874]

This guy has a degree in yapping

[@dubba85]

i just built a 08 5.3 and just pulled transmission out to re replace the seal

[@landonsharp6239]

Dude same 😂

[@rustyshackleford5058]

Awesome video/advice thank you

[@terryhill4732]

I'm not a certified mechanic but alot of late model cars look like engineers intentionally went out of their way to design these cars with labor intensity in mind

[@LuisGutierrez-pm2eq]

Yep they go up last.

[@jtjames151]

Should the rear main be installed dry?

[@bengunderson712]

You should run some grease around the contact points with your finger. A little bit of red wheel bearing grease works well.

[@jamieK111]

Fel-Pro instructions online specifically say do not apply lube to the inner surface of the seal that contacts the crank.

[@bengunderson712]

@@jamieK111 interesting, well I would follow the directions then. Apologies for the wrong advice

[@dewholdingsllc1050]

Thanks. I'm looking to resell a 5.3 Silverado . What about seal acclimating ? Scotty Kilmer says its critical to allow new ls seal to acclimate to form of crank. Takes hours? Not suppose to reassemble and start engine until this happens or you get premature seal failure. What can you tell me?

[@peteloomis8456]

Shouldn't have to because the seals made to fit the end of the crank shaft & should be already spec clearanced from the factory that makes the seal to what the GM engineer's set the tolerance's to when they designed it. What I would do though is use some of the same motor oil your going to use to fill the engine with after doing the job & put a light coating of oil on the seal before it gets put on & torqued down that way the seal isn't dry upon it's first start up . This is basically the same thing done when replacing a front crank seal on a GM V8 that has the seal pressed into the cam cover as well before the harmonic balancer is bolted back on so the seal has a little lube on its first start up & doesn't have the stub of the balancer being dry & either tearing the seal or prematurely wearing the seal out . Most of the time . I actually put some orange high temp silicone on the outside of the seal before pressing in just to make sure that it's sealed good to the cover so oil can't leak past or between the outer metal part of the seal & the cover as I have seen some oil seals made now that weren't perfectly round & once pressed in leaked between the cover & that outer metal body of the seal while no oil leakage at all from the rubber seal lip . I have had run ins with poorly made seals & gaskets not all that long ago because the company is having them made in China & had issues with gaskets that the holes weren't the correct size or positioned wrong as well as the seals metal bodies not being perfectly round & leaking . Years ago when I would buy Felpro gaskets & seals I never had any problems but have with them not long ago as well as other off brand made seals & gaskets having poor quality & having to take them back and exchange them out for good ones . Because of our sell out politicians who thought it was a good idea to let most of our jobs go over seas to be made their by taxing them so high they either went out of business or made the decision to move & sell these businesses to China now we are flooded with sub par junk they make while we still over pay for this junk that isn't made nearly as good & are now made with a time line of failure built in to keep you coming back again to repair it plus this way they keep getting your money where as years ago we made top notch things that would last almost a lifetime but that's not the case anymore with the cheaply made junk & the greed of money .

[@Corsairforu]

I saw that Scotty Vid also and my brother-in-law that is a GM Mechanic never has heard that before when I asked him.

[@RafaVitor]

@@peteloomis8456 god bless you

[@jamieK111]

Fel Pro instructions online specifically say do not lubricate the inner PTFE surface of the seal that touches the crank. The LS rebuild book I have and most install videos say the same. Old-style rubber seals get oil on the inner surface.

[@Gettinbentoffroad]

Where do you get the sleeve from?

[@tempest411]

Mr.Gasket makes them, among others.

[@johnrutledge3892]

Thanks !

[@rm5902]

Many. Thx. Great. Vid

[@ryanmillsap8645]

Wow man...this is good stuff

[@leivacortez7440]

Thank you for this valuable information!!!👍👍👍

[@stephendee7839]

From the video, it sounds like I'm supposed to remove the rear main seal, then locate the back plate with the locating tool. At what point does one install the new rear main seal? Can the seal be replaced without removing the plate?

[@zmohan69]

Yes but why not do the plate gasket as wrll

[@stephendee7839]

@@zmohan69 Maybe because it's not leaking?

[@yungtooli]

@@stephendee7839 the plate gasket tends to be the leaky culprit more often than the rear main itself. yeah it may not be leaking now but its common for it to leak plus its so cheap and so much work to get to that point that its dumb not to replace both seals

[@Corsairforu]

@@stephendee7839 So you would rather chance skipping a $33 plate gasket WHEN YOU ARE RIGHT THERE! And lose piece of mind to save maybe 90 bucks with Installation Tool price added.

[@stephendee7839]

@@Corsairforu I replaced the plate with the seal in it. In my case, someone had replaced the rear plate when the engine was swapped previous to my arrival. The sealant they used on the plate was not of an automotive variety and had failed. I could've just redone the RTV but at that point, I already had a replacement plate with seal, so it got the whole shebang and no special tool was required.

[@captainsoftheazulcarrib7491]

Great thx!

[@cyrilpillay7997]

I have a 1994 nissen sentra manual with aoil leak please help

[@cyrilpillay7997]

Please reply

[@adambryant3546]

Love the into!! Lol definitely no fun!!

[@artysmotorsports]

Hell yeah brother

[@LuisGutierrez-pm2eq]

Jst dis mine was no fun in tha ground but got it done

[@betosgarage]

🔥

[@sarathsasidharansasidharan1287]

👍👍

[@Dysturbed-00]

thumbs up

[@evanmadigan3157]

Are you standing or sitting under the truck lol

[@DIYAutoHomeschool]

Sitting lol. I do not have a lift.

[@vunit8213]

DIY Auto Homeschool so it is possible to change rear main seal and oil pan seal without a lift?

[@cadenbrown7407]

VUNIT82 yes, you simply need a jack to get the transmission out. Preferably a jack built specifically for transmissions but any jack with wheels will do. Just be careful if you use a generic jack.

[@vunit8213]

Caden Brown ok thanks, yeah I have 4 12 ton jack stands, a 3 ton floor, and a 20 ton hydraulic jack. I’m probably gonna get it up on the stands and then use my floor jack. But m, thanks I appreciate the advice...I wasn’t sure if i would have enough room at first....

[@cadenbrown7407]

VUNIT82 sounds like a plan! Just be careful with that transmission, don’t want to end up damaging it up.

[@MIckveli2]

thats not how i seen it done, a little common sense..& tighten um up ( inside to out.) you'll be just fine..! no alignment tool necessary.

[@zmohan69]

The plate has alot of movement and offset the main seal quite a bit. The bolt holes for the plates dont guide them perfectly into place. Thats why

[@victorjbarker]

Of course it is. There is no way to align the cover without the alignment bushing

[@Corsairforu]

That is FOOLISH not to use an Alignment tool!

[@papajams9930]

The fact that this had to be explained is beyond me . Thanks for the tip but seemed pretty obvious to me

[@mrflinstone2553]

Is it normal for oil to come out the bolt holes?