Replacing my rear crankshaft seal . . . and other stuff . .

[BC847]

Aren't those reusable gaskets wonderful?

Yes they are.

As anal as I am about the heap, I suppose it'd be sorta crazy if I didn't have a peek inside. But then again, my luck would have it scatter 100 miles from the house.


- Pulled the transfer case and set to the side.
- Removed access-plate and torque-converter bolts.
- Installed transmission jack under the mess.
- Removed transmission cross-member and set to the side.
- Supported the butt of the engine (oil pan) loosely and lowered transmission end of the mess a little.
- Unbolted transmission bell-housing, backed the trans away from the engine and lowered it a little.
- Disconnected the two transmission fluid lines.
- Removed the dip-stick assembly.
- Got the big turd out of the way.
- Removed the flexplate.

Looking at the seal, it appeared the oil was actually coming from the exterior diameter of the seal. Right there where it plugs into the housing.

Well duggum! I was able to pick the edge of the seal with my fingernail, and pull the seal assembly right out.

The thing has spun in it's bore.


You can see the skid-marks on the outside diameter of the thing . . .





The actual seal itself appears hard to the touch. Looking closely, it looks like the sealing surface has worn (burnished) . . . .

[fatty]

I dunno if you're getting a seal with the wear sleeve or not...but if you do the only way to get the sleeve on the crank is by heating it up first (in my experience). When I just replaced mine I tried forever to get that sleeve on with no luck, and then once I heated it, it slipped over the crank no problemo! Just have to make sure it gets on far enough that the flexplate tabs can still get on to the crank.

[ellis93]

BC I always coat those metal backed seals (doesn't matter brand or engine type) with that ultra grey silicone. That stuff is hard once it dries out and is really good at keeping things in place.

Unless I'm mistaken and might be isn't that lip seal you have (I bought two as well) rubber backed. If they are this may be a nonissue with it.

[PToombs]

DF, I forgot that part.....

BC, my rear seal was like that too, flipped it out with my fingernail. I've heard of a few others that way also. I wonder if that aluminum cover expands and contracts enough to pop it loose?

[RCCUMMINS89]

On my new Dana 80.... the axle seal is a 2 piece deal..... the outer AND inner don't turn on the components, the inside of the seal turns on itself. This leads to zero grooving and well... after 150k miles it still didn't leak.

IMO that would be the best way to make a rear seal.. it is actually the same style of seal that the semis use on their axles (so I was told).

[ellis93]

On my new Dana 80.... the axle seal is a 2 piece deal..... the outer AND inner don't turn on the components, the inside of the seal turns on itself. This leads to zero grooving and well... after 150k miles it still didn't leak.

IMO that would be the best way to make a rear seal.. it is actually the same style of seal that the semis use on their axles (so I was told).

It is.

[BC847]

isn't that lip seal you have (I bought two as well) rubber backed. If they are this may be a nonissue with it.

Yes it is.

I'm thinking I can still include some kind of adhesive/sealant.

Rain / green stomach today.

[RCCUMMINS89]

Rain / green stomach today.

I was that way yesterday.

[DMan1198]

I had some old hydraulic brake spoke type axles apart when I was in school, and they just used a double lip seal

[BC847]

Welp, got to feeling a little better and after work, got started on putting it all back together.


- Temporarily reinstalled old seal.
- Sanded crankshaft flange.
- Pressure-washed the engine/transmission adapter.
- Removed old seal.
- Cleaned crankshaft's seal surface.
- Cleaned seal retainer's surface.
- Verified engine/transmission adapter bolts are tight at 44 ft/lbs torque.





- Lubricated crankshaft sealing surface, and the new seal's internal diameter surface with fresh engine oil.
- Lubricated seal retainers surface and the new seal's exterior diameter with soapy water.
NOTE: This seal is one of those New & Improved seals from what's his name. Its sealing surface and the crankshaft's sealing surface are lubricated with engine oil. As is confirmed in the FSM, those seals with a rubber outer diameter are lubricated on the outside with soapy water.

* I noticed the stock/OEM seal that I removed has the words "Install Dry" embossed in the seal's metal casing (referring to the sealing surfaces).






- Drifted new seal into place.





This tool set the new seal to a depth of just over 1/16" past the bevel on the retainer as shown . . .





- Chased the threads of the flex-plate bolts as well as those of the holes in the crankshaft's flange.
- Washed/flushed same with brake-cleaner stuff.
- Applied liberal amount of Blue Thread-Locker to the bolt threads and installed a new flex-plate.
- Torqued flex-plate bolts to 55 ft/lbs.





While I was under there, I noticed the passenger's side of the cab floor was apparently dented down such that it was in contact with those bolts that connect the transmission cross-member's, diagonal support to the top of the frame rail.

Yeah, that'll transmit noise into the cab.





Fixed that with a crowbar. Apparently, this has been like this for a while as the bolts worried holes into the cab floor.





Got the transmission under there.





- Fastened transmission bell-housing the the engine and torqued those bolts to 35 ft/lbs.
- Ensured there's adequate clearance between the flex-plate and the torque-converter (A little under 1/8". That's what it was with the old flex-plate).
- Installed transmission cross-member & support and torqued those bolts to 55 ft/lbs.
- Fastened the torque-converter to the flex-plate and torqued those bolts to 35ish ft/lbs.

- Called it good enough for tonight.

[BC847]

- Installed Transfer-case.
- Installed transfer-case shifter.
- Installed front drive-shaft (with new universal straps & bolts torqued to 21 ft/lbs).
- Installed transmission shifter linkage.
- Reconnected transmission plumbing.
- Reconnected transmission electrics.
- Reconnected rear drive-shaft with new universal straps & bolts torqued to 21 ft/lbs. Torqued center carrier to 55 ft/lbs.
- Installed transmission / transfer case skid-plate. Torqued those bolts to 55 ft/lbs.
- Bolted in remote transmission fluid heat-exchanger and spin-on filter assembly.
- Installed speed sensor and connected all remaining electrics.
- Installed new transmission fluid filter on valve-body.
- Adjusted TV throttle-stop for 100 rpm higher part-throttle shift points.
- Installed transmission fluid pan.
- Installed two quarts of cheap ATF+4 and topped with tractor hydraulic fluid (two+ gallons).
- Topped engine oil.
- Got the heap down off the safety-stands.
- Idled around the yard and checked for leaks with none found.

- Drove it around and into town. Everything works as it should. Cutting up on the way back has the engine all of the sudden present with a substantial loss of power. - WTH?
- It'll idle, but will only rev up perhaps 100 rpm over idle. Full throttle is nothing.

- WTH!

- Acts like it's not getting fuel. There's 20psig at the IP's inlet.

- I bet I dicked with the thing an hour sitting beside the road. One can only get it up to 15 mph at best.

- WTH?

- It acts like it's not getting fuel.

- Naturally, the last thing I check is the electrical connection to the FSS. It's on there, but . . . . .


- Sumbitch.

- Fixing to go replace the FSS connector.

[ellis93]

It is amazing how working on a totally different area of a vehicle can screw up something somewhere else

[PToombs]

You torqued the bolts? With a torque wrench and everything? Wow. I mean, just wow.





Glad you got it going and it works good!

[ellis93]

You torqued the bolts? With a torque wrench and everything? Wow. I mean, just wow.





Glad you got it going and it works good!

Yep........ impact.

[PToombs]

Me too, or I use the gootntite with the ratchet. I do torque some things, it just depends what it is.