I thought the same thing when I pulled the covers, pan, etc. Where's the leak? And now what was the dark fluid that splattered all over the bottom of my engine causing smoke? When I pulled the oil pan, it looked like it was in great shape. So the question now is, could it be transmission issues? Was it transmission fluid? It so, someone guid me in the right direction. Do transmission have a seal, what would cause the trans to blow fluid all over the place? Thanks
Leaks What I do is : clean the darn thing Hospital Clean then fire it up and watch , or drive a bit and see where the wet spot is . You can blow talcum powder on the bottom of the engine , as soon as any fluid touches it , it turns very dark , making tricky oil leaks easier to diagnose . I just did one of these and wound up taking the engine 1/2 way apart before I got it properly sealed up again , I'm always fixing DPO/DPM bodge jobs , this was another one . I'm not sure if I'm supposed to mention I smell or taste any wetness I find , tranny fluid smells & tastes very different from engine oil or coolant . I'm always leery of sharing the old Farm & Field Fixes I learned years ago....
Nate, don't ever quit giving those 'farm boy' tips and hints. They're priceless, both as entertainment, and as practical advice. Thanks for being a great teacher to us. I've used the 'sneaky pete' with my Dad many years ago, and it worked quite well. Loosened all the main bolts and removed the rear one. Installed new seal and reassembled without a hitch.
Farm & Field Fixes O.K. but I often get taken to task for my " Old Ways "......... Some folks are simply not happy unless they $pend BIG $ on everything . As long as they make you smile , it's all to the good I think . GM made *very* few mistakes when designing , building and teaching us to repair these fine old trucks , you'd be amazed at the Dealer Training tips & tricks they used to show us , nowadays everything is bound up in legal issues rather than how to get a 2 ton truck full of hay out of a field before the rain begins to - morrow morning .
Called the engine rebuilder this morning and was told, did not use the rope seal on the main but neoprene and the only way they replace the neoprene seals is to pull the engine and fit it the right way. His price is 1200$. I bought the rope, the pan gaskets and the Sneeky Pete tool package. They want me to come in and see if it may be something else but they are swamped for the next two weeks. Anybody ever change out the neoprene seals here?, 1200 is not going to cut it. At the moment I'll a little ticked off. But for all of you in the Ventura driving area this weekend I'll have the truck in the, http://www.venturanationals.com/ventura-nationals#!__ventura-nationals I'll be there both days and if you can come to the Santa Paula Labor Day Parade, on Monday..
235 Rear Main Oil Seal it's been years since I did one but it's not terribly difficult , sometimes a long thin bit of flexible sheet metal can be worked up between the rearing groove and the old seal proper . As your truck is a running rig , I imagine the seal is soft and pliable , should come out with some convincing . Unless there's machine work to do , I can't imagine taking the engine apart to install a neoprene typ seal .
Now I have to order new parts and find some place I can lease a lift and tools then tackle this. 1200 dollars is not even going to happen. I should have called them before I ordered the parts, ol'well. Some day I'll be able to open a parts house.
Sneeky Pete ! Charles and Bilbo Charles it is not nescesary to pull the engine as working underneath is easy when changing these seals. It saves you fore a lot a money to doing it your self (1200 bucks is mucho dineros). Follow Nates advice here.Wonder how the "Sneeky Pete" tool looks like ? Do you have a picture of it maybe ? Being a farm boy gives high status as a proffesion up here in Norway. I am a farmer myself and am very proud of being one indeed . What about being a farmers boy in your country , how do people react when talking around the subject ( catle farmers , corn growers, green growers, plant nurserees ) I love the comments and jokes and commen sense of humor many people show on this forum but some people have there personal style of humor combined with sarcasm , true story and life experiences ! What moore can we ask fore . I wanna thank you all for that Martinius
Sneaky Pete O.K. , I see the sneaky pete tool has changed , it used to be a woven metal tubular shaped thing , you worked it around the end of the old rope seal and when you pulled on it , the woven part collapsed as you pulled it's end , trapping the grip on the rope seal . The fun part as I remember it was the scraping of old bits of the seal out . There's no reason to buy a hoist , just scrootch under the truck on your back . I'm now fat so I like to jack up the front end about 6" and use jack stands . Farming in America , although it made this country " The Breadbasket Of TheWorld " , has never been popular , prolly because it's so dang hard . I'm not ashamed of having been a Dairy Farmer but if I never have to shovel manure of pull teats again , that'll be fine with me .
This is the one I bought. http://www.ebay.com/itm/KD-Tools-Sn...t=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item53ee34a85c
Sneaky Pete Tool O.K. , that's a nicer set than I ever had . The long screw thing with the loop in one end , is screwed directly into the old rope seal and used to pull it out . Is this a job you don't want to attempt or what ? . It's just another slow & filthy , oily job you should be able to do in the driveway with Mrs. V. watching from the front door....
With the builder using the neoprene seal, not sure it it comes out the same and not sure I have the tools to do it and my jacks will not get the truck high enough for this fat F'r to fit under, and not sure the back will allow me to do it. , First I have to find a neoprene that fits the 54 engine.
KD Tools Sneaky Pete ~ Oil Seal Remover & Installer Tool Set #492 Charles This Ebay comp. only sells to USA and Canada. I would wanna buy a tool kit like this. Could you help with this ? I have an CO adres in Oregon. Send you a PM. Martinius.
Martinius, I just ordered it for you, wait till it gets here then sent the $, or if you have a paypal account we can work it that way also. Hope this helps some. Charles
After inspecting the Rear main and the trans they both were dry and didnt seem to be leaking or have leaked. The front left wheel cylinder was leaking, as I was looking around I noticed crud all exhaust, and parts around the frame, the steering column. It all was the same crud. Also, when I was driving it before the smoke, etc, when I would break the truck would pull to the left. Now I am pretty sure the front left wheel cylinder is what blew brake fluid out getting it on the exhaust and base of the engine, causing the smoke. Does that make sense?
Sounds like you're on the right track, Karen. I'd be more suspicious of the brake lines than the wheel cyl. For brake fluid to spray on the exhaust, it probably came from a pinhole in one of the brake lines. You may need to fill the master cylinder and (with safety goggles on) get someone to press the brake pedal while you watch for a leak. Sounds a lot cheaper than the rear main issue, doesn't it?
Anyone give me a quick down and dirty on how to replace the wheel cylinders? Or provide a link to do so.
See the attached pics I took when I pulled the wheel, etc. You can see where the fluid in on the frame and the exhaust pipe as well as the brakes. All said, can someone give me their take on where this leak is coming from. Is it possible the wheel cylinder sprayed brake fluid on the frame and exhaust pipe causing the smoke when I was driving it? The cylinder is in bad shape as well and coated with rust and fluid. Thanks K
