Replacing rear main seal - "while I'm in there"

[302ftw?]

Hi all. 1983 245 GLT m46. Now that I've put a few miles on the car I'm noticing a fairly significant oil leak. I have to put the car up on the lift to confirm while running but the witness marks are pointing to rear main. This makes sense as the car sat for probably 15 years, and even if it was replaced with the clutch which I was assured it was, the sitting and infrequent starts did not do it any good.

That said if I am tackling the rear main, what else should I do while the trans is out? I have already replaced the shifter bushings with bronze and put in new isolating foam under the shifter. I imagine that it's worth sealing up the transmission and I already know I need to replace the center support bearing. Right now the trans actually feels quite good and shifts nicely. Overdrive is working. I don't want to make anything worse by opening up a can of worms by splitting the trans to replace seals- what are some of (if any) of the gotcha moments I might encounter sealing up the m46?

On the engine side, I've already sealed the front of the motor. Is there anything critical behind the engine I should pursue? I've also found that the rear most exhaust stud is stripped so I'll have to drill and helicoil that (which sucks). Anything else worth doing? Thanks as always for the sage advice.

 

[mikep]

Personally, unless a trans seal is leaking, i would leave it alone.

 

[302ftw?]

Personally, unless a trans seal is leaking, i would leave it alone.

That's the problem. It is leaking. Not weeping but a sniffle

 

[dl242gt]

Upgrade the trans mount to a 164 Volvo engine mount.

 

[dl242gt]

Use only Volvo rear main seal.

 

[240 240]

That's the problem. It is leaking. Not weeping but a sniffle

rebuild the whole engine

 

[302ftw?]

rebuild the whole engine

I was thinking WW2 Sherman tank engine swap

 

[302ftw?]

Upgrade the trans mount to a 164 Volvo engine mount.

What about 940/740 center support? The std one is quite wiggly

 

[dl242gt]

What about 940/740 center support? The std one is quite wiggly

You would need to adapt the support bracket to use the 740 version. I think thelostartof was selling brackets for that as well as some venders.

 

[2manyturbos]

That's the problem. It is leaking. Not weeping but a sniffle

Leaking from what/where? The rear output shaft seal is easy enough to replace.

And as said above, use only the OE Genuine Volvo rear main seal. They are 3-4X the price of other seals, yet, you don't want to go back in to replace a rear main seal because you bought the cheap version.

 

[DET17]

And as said above, use only the OE Genuine Volvo rear main seal. They are 3-4X the price of other seals, yet, you don't want to go back in to replace a rear main seal because you bought the cheap version.

+1

I went red Elring on my old 940 sedan.... it began leaking within months after that engine went in. Use only the grey color OE seal, period.

 

[Mr. V]

Check the integrity / condition of the wiring to the shifter and the tranny: over time it will fail.

Examine your clutch fork: mine bent.

 

[302ftw?]

Check the integrity / condition of the wiring to the shifter and the tranny: over time it will fail.

Examine your clutch fork: mine bent.

Thank you, those are some little things that can make a big difference