rear main seal

mybluesubi · 01-25-2004, 06:50 PM

I'm having a problem with the rear main seal leaking. I once replaced it and it continues to leak. I did notice that there's nothing to hold the seal in place. Is there a way to get the seal to stay in and not slide back out? If anyone has any solutions to this problem please email me. thanx

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SubyTechMaster · 01-26-2004, 01:25 PM

A more common leak which is often misdiagnosed as the rear crank seal is the Oil Seperater cover(located to the right of the Crank seal in the rear of motor). If yours is plastic replace it with an aluminium part.

If indeed your Crank seal is the source of the leak then you have another problem causing it to fail. Check your PCV system.

mybluesubi · 01-27-2004, 02:55 AM

thanx for your help, I took it all apart again tonight and put some gasket sealant on the oil seperator gasket and it thus far (knock on wood) is doing the trick, where could Iget an aluminum seperator cover?

Charlie-III · 01-27-2004, 11:57 AM

Dealer has the aluminum version. IIRC it was about $30.

The later models got that one from the factory (I did this when I did rear crank seal/flywheel/clutch)

tekfoc · 01-29-2004, 02:37 PM

I really hope that solves your problem,but if it doesnt then if the rear main seal is leaking again than your problem is blow by gases from your crankcase cause by worn piston rings or damaged rings.good luck i hope im wrong.

mybluesubi · 01-30-2004, 02:00 AM

Ok wish me luck, I'm gonna tear it apart a 3rd time in a week to change the separator plate to an aluminum one tomorrow. If this doesn't do the trick would anyone like a pimped out impreza wagon?

After talking to several ppl and a couple Subi dealers I think this will do the trick, thanx all for your responses and I'll keep you all posted on what happens.

Charlie-III · 02-06-2004, 02:42 PM

Hmmmm......wondering what happened.

mybluesubi · 02-06-2004, 06:04 PM

Ok a friend and I are gonna put a new oil separator on in saturday morning. I bought a new plate built outta aluminum so this should do the trick, I'll keep y'all posted and hope to god this works. I've read in many places that when there's oil leakin outta the rear fo the engine it's normally due to the oil sep cover and not the rear main seal, I did already replace the rear main seal so I know it's not comin from there. everyone, thanx for your help and teaching me yet another thing about the beauty of all wheel drive

Charlie-III · 02-07-2004, 02:53 PM

No problem.

I wish I knew of some of these forums BEFORE I had problems.

You have it a bit easier.

mybluesubi · 02-09-2004, 10:07 AM

ok here it is peeps. I changed the oil separator plate on saturday and I'm still having the leaking problems. I also noticed that the rear main seal had been "pushed" out and not in place where it should be. My oil pressure gauge reads about 50-55 on cold start up and doen'st go above 30 after warmed up at 4k RPM. The only thing I can figure is that there is an extrodinary amount of oil pressure at the rear of the engine but not at the pressure sending unit. The only thing I can imagine that would do that is a clogged oil galley or something causing the oil not to have the same pressure in the entire system. If anyone else has any theories or ideas please please let me know.

SubyTechMaster · 02-09-2004, 12:08 PM

Check your Crankcase Positive Ventilation (PCV)

mybluesubi · 02-09-2004, 06:28 PM

ok I've come up with a solution to the problem, I'm just gotta get another engine for it. BTW I also checked the PCV and in fact changed it just for the hell of it and still the same thing. thank you everyone for your help and I'll see y'all next time I have a problem

01-25-2004, 06:50 PM	#1
mybluesubi Scooby Newbie Member#: 53526 Join Date: Jan 2004 Chapter/Region: RMIC Location: Grand Junction Colorado Vehicle: 1997 Impreza black	real main seal I'm having a problem with the rear main seal leaking. I once replaced it and it continues to leak. I did notice that there's nothing to hold the seal in place. Is there a way to get the seal to stay in and not slide back out? If anyone has any solutions to this problem please email me. thanx * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

01-27-2004, 02:55 AM	#3
mybluesubi Scooby Newbie Member#: 53526 Join Date: Jan 2004 Chapter/Region: RMIC Location: Grand Junction Colorado Vehicle: 1997 Impreza black	reply to a reply :) thanx for your help, I took it all apart again tonight and put some gasket sealant on the oil seperator gasket and it thus far (knock on wood) is doing the trick, where could Iget an aluminum seperator cover?

01-30-2004, 02:00 AM	#6
mybluesubi Scooby Newbie Member#: 53526 Join Date: Jan 2004 Chapter/Region: RMIC Location: Grand Junction Colorado Vehicle: 1997 Impreza black	reply to replies on a post Ok wish me luck, I'm gonna tear it apart a 3rd time in a week to change the separator plate to an aluminum one tomorrow. If this doesn't do the trick would anyone like a pimped out impreza wagon? After talking to several ppl and a couple Subi dealers I think this will do the trick, thanx all for your responses and I'll keep you all posted on what happens.

02-06-2004, 06:04 PM	#8
mybluesubi Scooby Newbie Member#: 53526 Join Date: Jan 2004 Chapter/Region: RMIC Location: Grand Junction Colorado Vehicle: 1997 Impreza black	reply to many replies Ok a friend and I are gonna put a new oil separator on in saturday morning. I bought a new plate built outta aluminum so this should do the trick, I'll keep y'all posted and hope to god this works. I've read in many places that when there's oil leakin outta the rear fo the engine it's normally due to the oil sep cover and not the rear main seal, I did already replace the rear main seal so I know it's not comin from there. everyone, thanx for your help and teaching me yet another thing about the beauty of all wheel drive

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01-26-2004, 01:25 PM	#2
SubyTechMaster Scooby Specialist Member#: 4423 Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Placerville, CA USA Vehicle: '04 08 Tribeca, SVX Gold, Maroon	A more common leak which is often misdiagnosed as the rear crank seal is the Oil Seperater cover(located to the right of the Crank seal in the rear of motor). If yours is plastic replace it with an aluminium part. If indeed your Crank seal is the source of the leak then you have another problem causing it to fail. Check your PCV system.

01-27-2004, 11:57 AM	#4
Charlie-III Scooby Specialist Member#: 30669 Join Date: Dec 2002 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: 07456, North NJ Vehicle: 1998 Legacy 2.5GT Silver Sleeper Wagon	Dealer has the aluminum version. IIRC it was about $30. The later models got that one from the factory (I did this when I did rear crank seal/flywheel/clutch)

01-29-2004, 02:37 PM	#5
tekfoc Scooby Specialist Member#: 21392 Join Date: Jul 2002 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: NEW YORK CITY Vehicle: 2007 IMPREZA WRX STI urban gray	I really hope that solves your problem,but if it doesnt then if the rear main seal is leaking again than your problem is blow by gases from your crankcase cause by worn piston rings or damaged rings.good luck i hope im wrong.

02-06-2004, 02:42 PM	#7
Charlie-III Scooby Specialist Member#: 30669 Join Date: Dec 2002 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: 07456, North NJ Vehicle: 1998 Legacy 2.5GT Silver Sleeper Wagon	Hmmmm......wondering what happened.

02-07-2004, 02:53 PM	#9
Charlie-III Scooby Specialist Member#: 30669 Join Date: Dec 2002 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: 07456, North NJ Vehicle: 1998 Legacy 2.5GT Silver Sleeper Wagon	No problem. I wish I knew of some of these forums BEFORE I had problems. You have it a bit easier.

02-09-2004, 10:07 AM	#10
mybluesubi Scooby Newbie Member#: 53526 Join Date: Jan 2004 Chapter/Region: RMIC Location: Grand Junction Colorado Vehicle: 1997 Impreza black	ok here it is peeps. I changed the oil separator plate on saturday and I'm still having the leaking problems. I also noticed that the rear main seal had been "pushed" out and not in place where it should be. My oil pressure gauge reads about 50-55 on cold start up and doen'st go above 30 after warmed up at 4k RPM. The only thing I can figure is that there is an extrodinary amount of oil pressure at the rear of the engine but not at the pressure sending unit. The only thing I can imagine that would do that is a clogged oil galley or something causing the oil not to have the same pressure in the entire system. If anyone else has any theories or ideas please please let me know.

02-09-2004, 12:08 PM	#11
SubyTechMaster Scooby Specialist Member#: 4423 Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Placerville, CA USA Vehicle: '04 08 Tribeca, SVX Gold, Maroon	Check your Crankcase Positive Ventilation (PCV)

02-09-2004, 06:28 PM	#12
mybluesubi Scooby Newbie Member#: 53526 Join Date: Jan 2004 Chapter/Region: RMIC Location: Grand Junction Colorado Vehicle: 1997 Impreza black	ok I've come up with a solution to the problem, I'm just gotta get another engine for it. BTW I also checked the PCV and in fact changed it just for the hell of it and still the same thing. thank you everyone for your help and I'll see y'all next time I have a problem

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