Rear main seal help

[stinkmeisterj]

I may get shot for this but I only drive my 87 GN 5-600 miles per year. It looks real purty in the garage, collecting dust. I replaced a rear main seal on the original engine at 80,000, Put a new Jasper long block in it with neoprene seal (they asked which one I wanted) that now has 10,000 miles on it and I noticed a frequent drip coming from rear of engine onto crossover pipe at idle, smells great by the way. :rant: I'm assuming it's another rear main seal gone bad. Is there anyway to keep these things from gushing oil from rear main seal when they're infrequently driven? How often does everyone start their beasts in the cold cold winter? (my baby ain't touching these salty Michigan roads in winter time). Isn't the neoprene seal supposed to stop this irritating problem? I'm not sure if I should replace it or deal with it since it'll probably happen again in 5 years. Any suggestions or insight would be helpful.

[Keller]

Well, it is a Jasper motor. :winkgrin: Just because they said it would be a neoprene seal, that doesn't mean it would be installed correctly.

There are a few tricks to making it last longer. Such as installing it with the seal "ends" offset from the cap ends, insuring that the cap faces are coated with a bit of RTV, that RTV is used instesad of side seals and pins, and that the whole thing is allowed to dry for 24 hours before putting the oil in.

And, of course, making sure tha the seal face is pointing the right way.

Regardless, a two piece seal never lasts forever. Just consider changing it a periodic right of passage. And don't use a Fel-Pro "blue" pan gasket. :nono: I suggest the Duttweiler/RJC one. :tup: