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Hey all, pulled my motor to handle a bunch of mods. I know I should just “do it while I’m in there” but two questions.
1. there is a good bit of sludge on the back of the block and bell housing (oil pan too but I removed that before pic). Doesn’t look like it’s the rear main, what do you guys think?
2. What’s the best no nonsense tool to pull the pilot bearing. Would rather own than rent.
thanks fellas
Last edited by Harmonster; Jan 8, 2021 at 11:42 AM.
1. there is a good bit of sludge on the back of the block and bell housing (oil pan too but I removed that before pic). Doesn’t look like it’s the rear main, what do you guys think?
Did you clean the rear cover before taking this photo? Is the outside of the seal dry? It doesn't appear to be leaking at all.
Originally Posted by Harmonster
2. What’s the best no nonsense tool to pull the pilot bearing. Would rather own than rent.
Use a small internal puller with a slide hammer. Do not use a puller that presses against the center of the crank, because you'll be pressing on a sheet metal oil plug.
Did you clean the rear cover before taking this photo? Is the outside of the seal dry? It doesn't appear to be leaking at all.
Did not wipe it down. The area around the seal is clean, but the bottom left of the cover is where the gunk is. See pic of bell housing too. I might just be paranoid.
Should mention, car has 20k miles on it.
Originally Posted by torquetube
Use a small internal puller with a slide hammer. Do not use a puller that presses against the center of the crank, because you'll be pressing on a sheet metal oil plug.
Great, will look out for one. If you have a specific model rec let me know - I don't have a slide hammer either.
Last edited by Harmonster; Jan 8, 2021 at 12:07 PM.
Did not wipe it down. The area around the seal is clean, but the bottom left of the cover is where the gunk is. See pic of bell housing too. I might just be paranoid.
Should mention, car has 20k miles on it.
Great, will look out for one. If you have a specific model rec let me know - I don't have a slide hammer either.
I use the wrong tool for the job (the special Kent Moore collet-style puller that presses on the center of the crank). But I install it only finger tight, and then attach my slide hammer to that. It's a Rube Goldberg solution, but it works.
In my experience, the Autozone two-jaw likes to slip off.
Some people say good things about the OTC 7318, which doesn't require a hammer.
I'm old and ugly but not stupid. When did any engine manufacturer ever put an oil plug in a steel crankshaft????
Please enlighten me and the world as a whole. This ought be a real winner !!
Now if you are talking rear main seal, one would be a pure fool not refresh it. As deep and as much trouble to get to just not rocket science to replace it now.
I'm old and ugly but not stupid. When did any engine manufacturer ever put an oil plug in a steel crankshaft????
Please enlighten me and the world as a whole. This ought be a real winner !!
Now if you are talking rear main seal, one would be a pure fool not refresh it. As deep and as much trouble to get to just not rocket science to replace it now.
As a fellow "old and ugly" (LOL), I think, I hope he meant the main seal.
I'm old and ugly but not stupid. When did any engine manufacturer ever put an oil plug in a steel crankshaft????
Please enlighten me and the world as a whole. This ought be a real winner !!.
Here is a photo taken 5 minutes ago looking up the end of an LS crankshaft:
Look at that. There's a stamped plug pressed into the bore.
The bore is a through hole.
Don't believe me? Here's a picture taken 4 minutes ago from the other side of the bore, between crank throws, just above the 7-8 rod bearing journal:
This was taken from within the crankcase. That convex object in the middle of the bore is the other side of the plug from the first picture.
Oil exiting the rod bearings and draining down from the lifters, etc. gets in there. It would pour out the end of the crankshaft if it were not plugged.
Still don't believe me? Here's a cross-section of the crank from the factory service manual:
Let me highlight the plug in question:
The part highlighted above in yellow. The oil plug you don't believe in.
That's the part I advise against pressing against with a puller when removing the pilot bearing.
yeaaa when i saw this in my helm manual it was a wtf moment for sure.... had more trouble getting the wrong sized OTC 2 jaw puller in.... had to grind down the insides of the jaws to get it to fit... worked perfectly getting it out though!
No. See the post above if you too don't believe there's an oil plug behind the pilot bearing.
Things have changed since the "old" days. I stand corrected. ..and Thank you for the correction!.
(BTW: this is a great example of the reason we have a Corvetteforum).
I'm still torn on the rear main mostly because I don't understand where this gunk is coming from (it's not the seal clearly). Could be the rear cover gasket? Or maybe the oil pan was leaking a touch and getting flung by the flywheel? See pic of the bell housing in my first post - it's all gunked up too.
Replace rear main / pilot bearing?
