Rear Main Seal repair cost?
03-31-2003, 12:32 PM
#1
Track Day
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Lexington, Kentucky
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rear Main Seal repair cost?
I've got an slight oil drip in my 89 S2, diagnosed as a possible rear main seal problem. How much am I looking at to have it fixed? TIA.
03-31-2003, 01:31 PM
#2
Drifting
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Espoo, Finland
Posts: 2,668
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Labor is really expensive. Usually people only replace the seal if they're going through a clutch job as well... no? 
I have a faint recollection of somebody once mentioning that someone knows a trick method of replacing it in 20 minutes. Any guesses on how it's done?
I have a faint recollection of somebody once mentioning that someone knows a trick method of replacing it in 20 minutes. Any guesses on how it's done?
03-31-2003, 01:52 PM
#3
Addict
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 7,262
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Sami951:
<strong>I have a faint recollection of somebody once mentioning that someone knows a trick method of replacing it in 20 minutes. Any guesses on how it's done?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">I'd love to see how that's done.
As far as I know the clutch & flywheel HAS to come out. 20 minutes? A VW beetle maybe. A 944? No way.
<strong>I have a faint recollection of somebody once mentioning that someone knows a trick method of replacing it in 20 minutes. Any guesses on how it's done?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">I'd love to see how that's done.
As far as I know the clutch & flywheel HAS to come out. 20 minutes? A VW beetle maybe. A 944? No way.
03-31-2003, 02:32 PM
#4
Professor of Pending Projects
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
That is the same work as a clutch replacement plus removing the flywhell to get to the seal... 20 minutes??? I do not think so.
clean the area and make sure it is not coming from elsewhere... You do not want to take out half of the car mechanicals to find out it was not the rear main engine seal...
clean the area and make sure it is not coming from elsewhere... You do not want to take out half of the car mechanicals to find out it was not the rear main engine seal...
03-31-2003, 03:19 PM
#5
Addict
Rennlist
Lifetime Member
Rennlist
Lifetime Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Caballo, New Mexico
Posts: 482
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It could also be the pan gasket. There are a couple of sharp angles at the rear. Are you sure it is oil and not brake fluid ? The clutch slave could be leaking into the bellhousing. A shop would probably have to charge 16-20 hours of labor alone to replace the rar main seal.
03-31-2003, 04:41 PM
#6
Drifting
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Espoo, Finland
Posts: 2,668
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yeah, I just had this feeling that someone mentioned about there being a trick for getting to the seal without taking everything out. Tried searching the archives here but with no success
I know I had that same seal leaking in my ex car and the shop quoted some insane numbers on replacing it - decided that it'll wait until a clutch job, which never happened either..
I know I had that same seal leaking in my ex car and the shop quoted some insane numbers on replacing it - decided that it'll wait until a clutch job, which never happened either..
03-31-2003, 06:00 PM
#7
Drifting
You have to remove the clutch/flywheel to get to the rear main seal. Wait until you do the clutch then add 20 minutes to r/r rear main seal. It really shouldnt be too difficult if you are going to do the clutch. The additional parts are about $30 for the seal itself.
From what I have read and been told, it is not that bad if you are mechanically inclined. It just involves an entire weekend and removing LOTS of stuff and putting it back in. HTH
From what I have read and been told, it is not that bad if you are mechanically inclined. It just involves an entire weekend and removing LOTS of stuff and putting it back in. HTH
Trending Topics
03-31-2003, 06:21 PM
#8
Race Car
20 minutes....wow. I will pay $200 for that 20 minutes of work for someone who can replace mine. I will throw in an extra $100 for the clutch job. All kidding aside, unless you are sure its that seal, don't change it until you do the clutch and replace the pan gasket while you are down there at the same time. The last time I got tired of all the leaks, I removed the engine and resealed the whole block and replaced the clutch. Blast the engine with degreaser, drive the car and identify the exact cause of leak before you go through all that drama.
