Rear Seal Area Leaks

DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING - REAR SEAL AREA LEAKS

The crankshaft rear oil seal is integral to the crankshaft rear oil seal retainer and cannot be serviced separately.

Since it is sometimes difficult to determine the source of an oil leak in the rear seal area of the engine, a more involved inspection is necessary. The following steps should be followed to help pinpoint the source of the leak.

If the leakage occurs at the crankshaft rear oil seal area:

1. Raise and support the vehicle.
2. Remove the transmission inspection/torque converter access cover.
3. Inspect the rear of the cylinder block for evidence of oil leakage, note the following:
- Circular spray pattern generally indicates seal leakage or crankshaft damage.
- Where leakage tends to run straight down, possible causes are a porous block, camshaft bore cup plugs, oil galley pipe plugs, oil filter runoff, and main bearing cap to cylinder block mating surfaces. See Engine, for proper repair procedures of these items.

4. If no leaks are detected, pressurize the crankcase as outlined in Engine oil Leaks.

CAUTION: Do not exceed 20.6 kPa (3 psi).

5. If the leak is not detected, very slowly turn the crankshaft and watch for leakage. If a leak is detected between the crankshaft and seal while slowly turning the crankshaft, it is possible the crankshaft seal surface is damaged. The seal area on the crankshaft could have minor nicks or scratches that can be polished out using an emery cloth.

CAUTION: Use extreme caution when crankshaft polishing is necessary to remove minor nicks or scratches. The crankshaft seal flange is specially machined to complement the function of the rear oil seal.

6. For bubbles that remain steady with shaft rotation, no further inspection can be done Crankshaft Rear Oil Seal Retainer - Removal