So, I've been making progress getting my '66 Dart on the road, but I've run into a problem that's three four letter words: Rear main seal. It's leaking. This engine has a rope seal. I pulled the oil pan and the lower rear main seal cover, only to find that what's in there is more the consistency of brake pad material than rope. No wonder it's leaking!. I'm guessing the oil soaking into the seal has gotten baked in like tar (only it's a bit more solid than tar).
I'm looking for a "sneaky Pete" type tool to get the upper seal out without pulling the crank. (Seems a lot of parts stores don't carry these any more.) But I've got my doubts that the corkscrew-type thing is going to get out the seal on its own. Is there anything that's good for loosening a rear main seal? Chemicals? Heat?
You need the Chinese finger lock type tool. I bet they are still in the snap on or KD catalog. Squirt some throttle body cleaner or lacquer thinner at it now before you order the tool.
Apexcarver said:
https://www.harborfreight.com/seal-puller-with-2-tips-63039.html?cid=paid_google|*PLA+-+All+Products+-+Lower+Sales+Items|New+Products+-+%281%29+Price+%3C%2410|63039&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&mkwid=sBWexS4Hl|pcrid|318476002950|pkw||pmt||pdv|c|slid||product|63039|&pgrid=63088204786&ptaid=pla-297095492631&pcid=1654049980&intent=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqovnq7rV5AIVgsVkCh37LQHSEAQYASABEgJokPD_BwE
and as a backup, have an assortment of brass screws on hand (brass is less likely to screw up surfaces)
That looks like it would get a front main seal out, but not a rear main seal. Found the "Sneaky Pete" in stock at a non-chain auto parts store.
I managed to get the lower half of the seal out with a good push from a screwdriver. Looks like, once out of its holder, it's more flexible than I thought. Brake cleaner doesn't seem to have any effect on it. I may just be dealing with a bunch of pressed graphite around an asbestos rope without too much other contaminants.
If you are lucky, there won't be a pin in the block to keep the seal from rotating.
I know, ray of sunshine over here.
I've usually rammed them around with a punch, unless they were really brittle, in which case the only way out of there is going piece by piece.
Score one for Sneaky Pete.
Had to use a punch to make a small hole in the end of the seal to get the corkscrew started, but once I got it to bite in, the seal came right out in one piece. That's a relief as I've seen a video where the seal came out in bits and pieces, and the guy had to snake the corkscrew all the way around the crankshaft.
