l16 rear main seal help

[Wutang_415]

Hi all,

 

It's been a while since I've posted anything. I'm currently doing the clutch on my l16 and resurfaced the flywheel. There's a bunch of gunk in the bell housing so now I'm staring at the rear main seal and I have a (couple) questions:

 

It looks like I can just lightly pry the seal out and press a new one in? Do I really need to take out the pan and replace the "curtain" seals behind the main seal? I really want to get my car on the road and would love to avoid an extra step.

 

I've looked for as much info on main seals but I keep on getting contradicting information. Any tips for installing the new seal? RTV? oil? sealant?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Simon

 

SaveSave

[Lockleaf]

I have replaced rear mains without doing the side seals. I feel fine about doing that. I like to use an extremely thin film of rtv around the outside of the seal, basically as a lubricant, to slide it in.

 

To remove them, I like to drill a tiny hole in the metal of the seal then thread in a wood screw. I pull/pry on that with pliers. Just be sure to look for any shavings before installing the new one.

[Wutang_415]

Thanks Lockleaf I'll give that a shot.

[banzai510(hainz)]

wait for Datzenmike/Daniel or some others to chime in on this before rushing out and doing this.

[G-Duax]

Make sure you lube the ID of the new seal, because if you put it in dry, it will fail again in short order.

I just fill the valley between the inner & outer lips with grease.

[kelowg]

But it could be trans input shaft seal too.

[EastBay521]

Did you clean that seal before taking the picture??

[Wutang_415]

Did you clean that seal before taking the picture??

 

I wiped off a little excess oil it was no too bad just a couple shop rag swipes. 

 

It might be the trans input seal too but I'm focusing on the main seal for now.

[datzenmike]

Trans would be low on oil if leaking, and you would have to monitor it over months to see it going down. Engine oil is even less noticeable as engines burn and leak all the time. Engine oil is black, trans oil would be dark clear golden but with worn off clutch material all over even that would be hard to tell. 

 

I would guess that if the rear engine seal were leaking the wetness would be front bottom inside of the transmission bell. Trans front seal would wet the entire cover plate on the trans front.

 

I would say that engine rear seals are more likely to leak than transmission seals.

 

If you have oil all over the back inside of the engine better make sure it isn't the oil pan (even MORE likely) or the valve cover leaking down from above.

[Wutang_415]

Thanks for your responses. Looks like I'll have change the trans input seal too:

 

 

Is it located behind that cover? I'm hoping I can find that guy at the local auto parts store  :angel:

 

Also just to triple check - the rear main for an L20 is the same as the L16 right? The Felpro codes match up just want to make sure.

[datzenmike]

The seal is #32113-14601 or the latest number 32113-N2101

 

I don't think you will find that gasket. (32112-A0900) Like a lot of things now a days they hand you a tube of sealer. Clean both surfaces and use sparingly. Just remember any excess will squish out into the transmission too.

 

To remove the front cover take the bolts out and reach in through the dust boot with a socket extension and place it on the clutch arm pivot. Tap with a hammer to dislodge it. DO NOT hit the long nose that covers the input shaft to loosen. Trust me, it will snap off.

 

 

 

Rear seal is same as L18 and L20Bs

[Wutang_415]

Thanks Datzenmike.

 

Any brand recommendations:

http://www.rockauto.com/en/partsearch/?partnum=32113-N2101

 

SKF vs TIMKEN?

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Why not use a Nissan seal? OEM seals are always better than the vast majority of aftermarket seals. Sure, you can get lucky and find a OEM type seal with an aftermarket brand, but you always know what you're getting when you buy from the dealer.

 

For the cover, use black RTV like the brand name "Right Stuff", but don't put too much on, or it will get into the shift rod bores. Be sure to clean out the threads though and use RTV on the bolt threads too, otherwise they will leak.

 

One more thing, are all the cover bolts the same length? Some Datsun transmissions had different length front cover bolts, and if you put a long one in the wrong hole, it can hit the cluster gear and lock up the trans.

[datzenmike]

I'll check but the 71B doesn't go all the way through, that would be a really bad design.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

My brain is purging info Mike. Some of the front cover bolt holes were blind, some of them went through. I don't remember which was which...

[G-Duax]

The clutch arm pivot ball thread goes all the way through for sure, as I just finished converting the front cover to use a coaxial hydraulic throw-out. Just used a little sealer on the threads to make sure it doesn't weep.

 

 

Had to replace the pivot ball with a SHCS to anchor the throwout from turning.

 

 

Here is the back side.

 

[datzenmike]

71C or late 71B cover plate. Some are steel also.

[G-Duax]

Yeah, some guy had new ones on eBay for $24.

Figured what the hell, and gave me a chance to do this before my tred old L18 came out.

[Wutang_415]

So they don't stock the OEM seal anymore. I'm thinking of just putting it all back together and omitting the seal. Is this a really bad idea? Will my clutch fail pretty quick if the leak is bad? I plan on a tranny swap at some point in the future.

 

thanks 

[datsunaholic]

That's a very bad idea.  A slightly leaking seal is better than no seal, which would puke out the gear oil pretty fast.

[Doctor510]

So they don't stock the OEM seal anymore. I'm thinking of just putting it all back together and omitting the seal. Is this a really bad idea? Will my clutch fail pretty quick if the leak is bad? I plan on a tranny swap at some point in the future.

 

thanks 

EVERY L series Datsun motor uses the same rear seal, if that's what you're looking for.   NEVER reassemble without one.

[bananahamuck]

If your talking about tranny seal... Take the one you have down to a place called Applied Industrial Technologies and have them measure and match you up one. ( it will only take them a second since it's all they do all day) .. There has to be at least one store in the Portland Oregon area.. 

       BUT DON'T TELL THEM IT'S A CAR PART----  Say it's for anything else ,, conveyor, grain elevator ,,  some obscure piece of immobile farm equipment ,, anything but car part as they probably won't sell you one if you do .

 

https://www.applied.com/

 

 

So they don't stock the OEM seal anymore. I'm thinking of just putting it all back together and omitting the seal. Is this a really bad idea? Will my clutch fail pretty quick if the leak is bad? I plan on a tranny swap at some point in the future.

 

thanks 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

So they don't stock the OEM seal anymore.

They don't stock it or it's not available?

 

Can you order it?

 

Any NAPA auto parts store ought to be able to get you a seal that will work. I just like the OEM stuff best.

[Wutang_415]

Ah I was not clear. I was talking about just leaving the old seal in and not replacing it. I would not drive it without a seal.

 

I'll check NAPA and AIT - thanks guys.

 

Simon

[Draker]

Have you checked rockauto.com for these parts? (didn't read first page of thread)