So, after a two day long project, which was only suppose to take a day, is finished. PHEW!
New rear main, pilot bearing, clutch kit and the car runs WAY better than before.
The project started off very smooth, until I went to drop the transmission. Got the transmission to budge about an inch, and then it wouldn't pull out all the way. I tried to wiggle, it off, no luck. I jerked and pried for almost 3 hours, with no improvement. I was doing this alone, so I didn't have much help pulling and prying lol. Well after 3 hours, I decided to reach through the housing fork hole and take the bolts off the pressure plate. One by one, turning the crank so the bolts were accessible, I finally got it off. When I got the last bolt off, the tranny dropped! YAY! Lol. I am guessing the transmission was wedged in a very odd way that it wouldn't come loose from the pilot bearing?
Well I got almost everything off, and the while I was loosening the flywheel bolts, they were caked with oil on the threads. I knew here, that it was a rear main leak and not a valve gasket or an oil pan leak.
Taking the rear main seal and the pilot bearing was not hard at all. I don't understand all the difficulties people have/had. looking at my rear main, it looked fine, no visible damage, but it wasn't obviously doing its job anymore. I used a small puch and a mallet, and hit the outer side of the rear main in. Carefully of course, making sure I don't nic the edges or the crank. After I got a decent dent in it, I then used a flathead screw driver and where I put the dent in, and pryed the old one out. It was soo easy, I couldn't believe it. Putting the new one in, was even easier. I applied White Lithium Greese to the outer and inner part of the seal, put it in position and used the old seal as a pusher, while I hit in a cicular motion with a mallet to get it in. Slow and steady was the way to do it. Making sure it was going in even was my biggest concern.
The pilot bearing, I just rented the tool from my auto part store (Advance Auto) for $39 and got every penny back. The bearing came out in two pieces, as I expected. This wasn't a difficult process or anything. Putting the new one in, I used lithium greese once again, applied the bearing in it and used a socket and slightly hit it in place with a 10 oz hammer. Light hits of course and made sure it was going in evenely.
1 week later, no leaks, no problems and the car shifts and drives better than ever.
There was one issue I had. The previous owner used GEAR OIL in the transmission. The is the OEM tranny in a '93, so obviously it takes ATF. I bought Mobile1 Full Synthetic and it makes a "whirling" noise now, but no mechanical issues yet.
While I was doing all this, I did the electric fan setup. Easy as well for the most part. Works very well for right now too. I got the ProForm fan and plan on doing a wire clean up soon in the engine bay. Anyone know of a write up, please share
Now for the difficult part, putting on my rear upper and lower control arms! I tried to get the lower one off, but the bolt that connects to the rear end, is seized to my frame. Any ideas on how to get this loose? The nut comes off, but bolt doesn't budge. 1 breaker bar and 1 ratchet later, I gave up. I was thinking some PB Blaster and apply it daily until I get to it, but just unsure if that will do anything. Any helpful tips are much appreciated lol.
Here are pics, and this is the first time I have ever done a rear main and pilot bearing
New rear main, pilot bearing, clutch kit and the car runs WAY better than before.
The project started off very smooth, until I went to drop the transmission. Got the transmission to budge about an inch, and then it wouldn't pull out all the way. I tried to wiggle, it off, no luck. I jerked and pried for almost 3 hours, with no improvement. I was doing this alone, so I didn't have much help pulling and prying lol. Well after 3 hours, I decided to reach through the housing fork hole and take the bolts off the pressure plate. One by one, turning the crank so the bolts were accessible, I finally got it off. When I got the last bolt off, the tranny dropped! YAY! Lol. I am guessing the transmission was wedged in a very odd way that it wouldn't come loose from the pilot bearing?
Well I got almost everything off, and the while I was loosening the flywheel bolts, they were caked with oil on the threads. I knew here, that it was a rear main leak and not a valve gasket or an oil pan leak.
Taking the rear main seal and the pilot bearing was not hard at all. I don't understand all the difficulties people have/had. looking at my rear main, it looked fine, no visible damage, but it wasn't obviously doing its job anymore. I used a small puch and a mallet, and hit the outer side of the rear main in. Carefully of course, making sure I don't nic the edges or the crank. After I got a decent dent in it, I then used a flathead screw driver and where I put the dent in, and pryed the old one out. It was soo easy, I couldn't believe it. Putting the new one in, was even easier. I applied White Lithium Greese to the outer and inner part of the seal, put it in position and used the old seal as a pusher, while I hit in a cicular motion with a mallet to get it in. Slow and steady was the way to do it. Making sure it was going in even was my biggest concern.
The pilot bearing, I just rented the tool from my auto part store (Advance Auto) for $39 and got every penny back. The bearing came out in two pieces, as I expected. This wasn't a difficult process or anything. Putting the new one in, I used lithium greese once again, applied the bearing in it and used a socket and slightly hit it in place with a 10 oz hammer. Light hits of course and made sure it was going in evenely.
1 week later, no leaks, no problems and the car shifts and drives better than ever.
There was one issue I had. The previous owner used GEAR OIL in the transmission. The is the OEM tranny in a '93, so obviously it takes ATF. I bought Mobile1 Full Synthetic and it makes a "whirling" noise now, but no mechanical issues yet.
While I was doing all this, I did the electric fan setup. Easy as well for the most part. Works very well for right now too. I got the ProForm fan and plan on doing a wire clean up soon in the engine bay. Anyone know of a write up, please share
Now for the difficult part, putting on my rear upper and lower control arms! I tried to get the lower one off, but the bolt that connects to the rear end, is seized to my frame. Any ideas on how to get this loose? The nut comes off, but bolt doesn't budge. 1 breaker bar and 1 ratchet later, I gave up. I was thinking some PB Blaster and apply it daily until I get to it, but just unsure if that will do anything. Any helpful tips are much appreciated lol.
Here are pics, and this is the first time I have ever done a rear main and pilot bearing
