Rear Main Seal

I'm replacing all gaskets in my 235. I've read most of the posts on replacing the rear main seal but not really sure I understand the part of "curl the top piece over the bearing"

I'll be using the neoprene seal and I have the oil pan, bell housing and flywheel off. Should it be fairly straight forward???

Also, what size are the freeze plugs?

Thanks,
Rick

 

Late 235 right ? .

If it has a rope seal , you've gotta replace it with the same typ , a special tool called a " Sneaky pete " that looks like a chinese finger trap grabs old of one end and wraps up and over the upper main bearing , pulls it into place slicker 'N greased snot .

Getting the old one out can be tricky , DON'T nick the polished bearing journal ! .

The rubber typ seal , work at it and when you're ready to give up , it'll slip right out into your hand .

This has been covered in excruciating details before , I don't have the time right now to repeat it .

Freeze plugs , I know you've been asking , I always knock 'em out and slip int my pocket and go hunting for brass ones ~ you don't want to waste all that effort on steel Welsh plugs !

 

Thanks Nate

Heck, I thought you were going to tell me it's easy...go for it! I'm not sure what is in there right now so I guess that's the next step.

Rick

 

Well ;

I did my first one as a teenager with little experiance , as it's an ' In The Car ' typ of repair , I'd consider it easy .

Working on old farm trucks that only decided to repair after it'd been leaking for 20 years , well , that's not fun due to the amount of crud glued to the entire underside of the truck with leaked out oil ~ I always loosen up the meain bearing caps ,as this drops the crank a tiny bit but that little bit extra really helps .

For all I know , there's now a <magic> modern design neoprene seal to replace the old rope typ one ~ were I @ work I'd peek in my Victor Gasket Catalog to see although it's a 20 year old book and so maybe not up to date .

I used something thin and flexible , worked it behind the rope to loosen it then it slid right out with the Snbeaky Pete , I soaked the new one in oil overnight before installing , yoiu need to ensure it's stuffed all the way deep into the groove and I leave a little bit un trimmed sticking out so when the rear main bearing cap is torqued up it makes a good seal at the joint ~ I've been told this is not good practice but it works for me .