Best Rear Seal
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,114
Likes: 0
From: upstate N.Y.
Best Rear Seal
I know to use the one piece Felpro oil pan gasket on my 76- 350 but what rear main seal should I use?I have seen single lip ,double lip and offset lip. I assume I have the single lip now. The engine had been rebuilt 1000 mi. ago. It leaks at rear main now.Thanx in advance....Dale
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
First, inspect the butt of the crank? Can you see or feel a groove with your finger? The seal will actually cut a small groove int he crank, and even with a new single lip seal this is where a lot of oil leaks out.
If you have the groove, then You can replace it with an offset lip seal, or a double lip seal. I think the double would be best, but part of it will still ride in the groove.
If you have the groove, then You can replace it with an offset lip seal, or a double lip seal. I think the double would be best, but part of it will still ride in the groove.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,114
Likes: 0
From: upstate N.Y.
Thanx Db ,I don't have the pan off yet.I am just assuming that with over 100k on the engine that the crank had a grove .I didn't know if the double seal or off-set is better.I had it rebuilt but I think the builder just put a single lip in it. It leaks pretty good .
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Either will be better than the single lip seal.
One other thought...are you sure it's the rear seal and not the back of one of the valve covers leaking a little down the back of the engine?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,114
Likes: 0
From: upstate N.Y.
rear seal
Yes, I tracked it with inspection cover off it only leaks when engine is shut-off.which is the best pan seal ? Mr.gasket for 47.99 or felpro for 23.99?Both are the one piece.Thanx
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
You won't be able to use a one-piece rear main seal. Your block calls for a two piece and you can't convert unless you pull your engine block and replace it with an '83 or later I think.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,114
Likes: 0
From: upstate N.Y.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,114
Likes: 0
From: upstate N.Y.
rear seal
I did get a Felpro oil pan seal from AZ . The only rear main they carry is a ROL seal made in Canada.It was the double lip.It has the same # as the seal in Noonie's post.Black in color though.I still don't have the pan off yet to see whats going on .I have read to turn the seal a few degrees when in and some archive posts say no rtv and other say use rtv.Thanx everybody.
Last edited by 76 VETTE; Feb 15, 2008 at 11:28 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,114
Likes: 0
From: upstate N.Y.
Once you get pan off ... stop there & have an expert determine what seal you have now and if it's installed right. If install OK maybe you need the other seal or maybe crank rougher than usual. Heck you might have an offset and need a double or vsv etc etc. Don't speculate on it now ... have a pro get in there & determine what's required. Just because 10 guys on the internet tell you red marbles are best .... that don't mean it's so ... maybe they're going on rumor & some personal experience ... maybe not.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 647
Likes: 22
From: Norwalk CT and Boynton Beach FL
leaking rear seal
I too had my rear seal replaced last year when having a valve job done and now it leaks worse than before they replaed the seal. They said they would re-do the job, but if they couldn't get it right the first time ------- IS there any step by step procedure laid out with pictures in case I want to do this job myself? Any tips or any special type of seal I should buy in order to make this job a success the second time around?
Thanks
Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
There is a step by step layed out by a few of us, but no pictures that I recall. It's not a hard task...I did mine in about an hour, but it involves unbolting the idler arm and dropping the suspension a bit so the pan can come off.
