Rear Engine Seal
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 113
Likes: 4
From: Titusville Florida
Rear Engine Seal
Hey Guys,
I have a 2003 Coupe and I have an oil slick growing in my driveway.
I have already replaced the oil pressure sending unit, any Ideas?
Is the worst case a rear engine seal? if so any ideas on how much that should cost?
Thanks
Tony
I have a 2003 Coupe and I have an oil slick growing in my driveway.
I have already replaced the oil pressure sending unit, any Ideas?
Is the worst case a rear engine seal? if so any ideas on how much that should cost?
Thanks
Tony
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,893
Likes: 295
From: Buffalo NY
No way to tell what needs to be replaced until you find the source of the leak. Get it in the air, clean all the oil off the bottom off the car THOROUGHLY, and drive it until it drips again. If it's a rear main seal, that will require removal of the torque tube, transmission, etc. Cheap part, expensive labor.
You didn't mention if your car had a 6 speed, but if it does, that would be a good time to service and inspect your clutch/TT components if they need work.
You didn't mention if your car had a 6 speed, but if it does, that would be a good time to service and inspect your clutch/TT components if they need work.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 113
Likes: 4
From: Titusville Florida
No way to tell what needs to be replaced until you find the source of the leak. Get it in the air, clean all the oil off the bottom off the car THOROUGHLY, and drive it until it drips again. If it's a rear main seal, that will require removal of the torque tube, transmission, etc. Cheap part, expensive labor.
You didn't mention if your car had a 6 speed, but if it does, that would be a good time to service and inspect your clutch/TT components if they need work.
You didn't mention if your car had a 6 speed, but if it does, that would be a good time to service and inspect your clutch/TT components if they need work.
So far I got a quoote of 7.3 hours labor @ $105.00 hr from a Chevy Dealer, does this sound right to you?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 113
Likes: 4
From: Titusville Florida
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 2,800
Likes: 456
From: USA
You do not have to pull the engine to just tighten the oil pan bolts. I had other issues which I needed to address so that is why I removed the engine.
The oil pan gasket can be changed by lowering the cradle or dropping it completely down. The gasket on the LS1 is a very good gasket and seals well if you follow the FS manual instructions. The engine has to be supported from above either way you go.
The oil pan gasket can be changed by lowering the cradle or dropping it completely down. The gasket on the LS1 is a very good gasket and seals well if you follow the FS manual instructions. The engine has to be supported from above either way you go.
Last edited by zachaeous; May 26, 2016 at 05:24 PM.
Cruising
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 13
Likes: 1
From: Kingman Arizona
Hey Gunner, I just did the rear main seal on my 2000 auto. Cost $1200. As others suggested, get it in the air and clean it thoroughly. There's an inspection plug on the bottom of the bell housing. If you pull that you can view the seal through holes in the flex plate. I had a quote of 900 to do the pan gasket for comparison, if it's that. Good luck.
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
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 113
Likes: 4
From: Titusville Florida
Hey Gunner, I just did the rear main seal on my 2000 auto. Cost $1200. As others suggested, get it in the air and clean it thoroughly. There's an inspection plug on the bottom of the bell housing. If you pull that you can view the seal through holes in the flex plate. I had a quote of 900 to do the pan gasket for comparison, if it's that. Good luck.
Thanks again
Tony
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
TONY
The ONLY way to get to the bottom of this issue with out spending a SMALL FORTUNE is to get under the car and WIPE DOWN EVERYTHING. Get the engine and underside of the car clean and then,,, take a short drive and then REINSPECT the bottom of the engine. FOLLOW THE OIL!
You will be able to figure out if the oil is coming from the FRONT, REAR, ABOVE ect....
The STEALERSHIP may suggest that you change the REAL MAIN SEAL and it may NOT fix the issue. Then, there going to do ANOTHER DOLLAR RAPE to charge you for something else that "IS THE SOURCE"
NO one here can 100% tell you whats leaking. YOU have to do some hands dirty research and get your OWN idea on if the source of the leak points towards the REAR MAIN!
It could very well be that but, you still could have OTHER places that are contributing to the GUSH!
NOTE & WARNING!
PLEASE DO NOT HOSE OFF THE TOP OF THE ENGINE! You will wet things that will NOT be happy when you are finished! You can use some brake parts cleaner to WASH oil / dirt/ ect from the back of the block as it evaporates fairly quickly.
You can however use some engine cleaner like GUNK on the BOTTOM (lower part of the block) and hose that off. Then wipe down the remaining oil.
SO,,,, IMHO, If you don't invest some TIME under your car, just throw your credit at the service manager and say, CALL ME WHEN IT WONT GIVE YOU ANY MORE CASH!
The ONLY way to get to the bottom of this issue with out spending a SMALL FORTUNE is to get under the car and WIPE DOWN EVERYTHING. Get the engine and underside of the car clean and then,,, take a short drive and then REINSPECT the bottom of the engine. FOLLOW THE OIL!
You will be able to figure out if the oil is coming from the FRONT, REAR, ABOVE ect....
The STEALERSHIP may suggest that you change the REAL MAIN SEAL and it may NOT fix the issue. Then, there going to do ANOTHER DOLLAR RAPE to charge you for something else that "IS THE SOURCE"
NO one here can 100% tell you whats leaking. YOU have to do some hands dirty research and get your OWN idea on if the source of the leak points towards the REAR MAIN!
It could very well be that but, you still could have OTHER places that are contributing to the GUSH!
NOTE & WARNING!
PLEASE DO NOT HOSE OFF THE TOP OF THE ENGINE! You will wet things that will NOT be happy when you are finished! You can use some brake parts cleaner to WASH oil / dirt/ ect from the back of the block as it evaporates fairly quickly.
You can however use some engine cleaner like GUNK on the BOTTOM (lower part of the block) and hose that off. Then wipe down the remaining oil.
SO,,,, IMHO, If you don't invest some TIME under your car, just throw your credit at the service manager and say, CALL ME WHEN IT WONT GIVE YOU ANY MORE CASH!
Last edited by Bill Curlee; May 27, 2016 at 10:17 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 113
Likes: 4
From: Titusville Florida
TONY
The ONLY way to get to the bottom of this issue with out spending a SMALL FORTUNE is to get under the car and WIPE DOWN EVERYTHING. Get the engine and underside of the car clean and then,,, take a short drive and then REINSPECT the bottom of the engine. FOLLOW THE OIL!
You will be able to figure out if the oil is coming from the FRONT, REAR, ABOVE ect....
The STEALERSHIP may suggest that you change the REAL MAIN SEAL and it may NOT fix the issue. Then, there going to do ANOTHER DOLLAR RAPE to charge you for something else that "IS THE SOURCE"
NO one here can 100% tell you whats leaking. YOU have to do some hands dirty research and get your OWN idea on if the source of the leak points towards the REAR MAIN!
It could very well be that but, you still could have OTHER places that are contributing to the GUSH!
NOTE & WARNING!
PLEASE DO NOT HOSE OFF THE TOP OF THE ENGINE! You will wet things that will NOT be happy when you are finished! You can use some brake parts cleaner to WASH oil / dirt/ ect from the back of the block as it evaporates fairly quickly.
You can however use some engine cleaner like GUNK on the BOTTOM (lower part of the block) and hose that off. Then wipe down the remaining oil.
SO,,,, IMHO, If you don't invest some TIME under your car, just throw your credit at the service manager and say, CALL ME WHEN IT WONT GIVE YOU ANY MORE CASH!
The ONLY way to get to the bottom of this issue with out spending a SMALL FORTUNE is to get under the car and WIPE DOWN EVERYTHING. Get the engine and underside of the car clean and then,,, take a short drive and then REINSPECT the bottom of the engine. FOLLOW THE OIL!
You will be able to figure out if the oil is coming from the FRONT, REAR, ABOVE ect....
The STEALERSHIP may suggest that you change the REAL MAIN SEAL and it may NOT fix the issue. Then, there going to do ANOTHER DOLLAR RAPE to charge you for something else that "IS THE SOURCE"
NO one here can 100% tell you whats leaking. YOU have to do some hands dirty research and get your OWN idea on if the source of the leak points towards the REAR MAIN!
It could very well be that but, you still could have OTHER places that are contributing to the GUSH!
NOTE & WARNING!
PLEASE DO NOT HOSE OFF THE TOP OF THE ENGINE! You will wet things that will NOT be happy when you are finished! You can use some brake parts cleaner to WASH oil / dirt/ ect from the back of the block as it evaporates fairly quickly.
You can however use some engine cleaner like GUNK on the BOTTOM (lower part of the block) and hose that off. Then wipe down the remaining oil.
SO,,,, IMHO, If you don't invest some TIME under your car, just throw your credit at the service manager and say, CALL ME WHEN IT WONT GIVE YOU ANY MORE CASH!
I'm not afraid of getting dirty, I'll be doing that this weekend :-)
Thanks again for your help.
Last edited by NavyGunner1980; May 27, 2016 at 11:00 AM.
Cruising
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 13
Likes: 1
From: Kingman Arizona
Tony, pick up a few cans of cheapo brake cleaner and some rags. I threw an old tarp under the car to keep the mess off the shop floor. Put on some safety glasses and get under there and blast away. Brake clean makes pretty quick work of it. I just ran the car on the axle stands for a while and then climbed back under there to inspect. Once you're under there there you'll see an oval, rubber plug on the bottom of the bell housing. Pop it out and you can view the rear main seal with a flashlight.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Tony, pick up a few cans of cheapo brake cleaner and some rags. I threw an old tarp under the car to keep the mess off the shop floor. Put on some safety glasses and get under there and blast away. Brake clean makes pretty quick work of it. I just ran the car on the axle stands for a while and then climbed back under there to inspect. Once you're under there there you'll see an oval, rubber plug on the bottom of the bell housing. Pop it out and you can view the rear main seal with a flashlight.