Rear Main Seal Replacement Question

[Gray S]

Hello all........I am very late to this conversation and I doubt many people who participated in it are still active members but if that is not the case, please help me I am having the same problem on my 1958 thunderbird. I am only 14 years old. I ran it after installing a new radiator, carburetor, and fuel pump after not being started in a year or longer and I drove it around the front yard once and it would not go over a bump that was only a few inches tall. I called my father over and it just smoked. We didn't know what it was unfortunately and the temp was very high. My dad risked a lot by pushing the accelerator to get it back to the top of the driveway(it is flat). We were reluctant to open the hood Incase of a fire, but we did after realizing that it couldn't be the case. When we opened it, the carb was smoking a little and a ton of smoke was coming out of the oil dipstick chamber(I apologize for incorrect terminology). I then noticed between the transmission and the engine, oil leaking mainly from every bolt that connects engine to trans. I am praying that it is not the rear main seal leaking. My dads old mechanic, Homer Coley, pointed out a tiny leak from the same spot between the trans and eng about 7 yeas who. My dad stupidly decided not to spend the money to get it fixed then. Not it is a very bad and fast leak. The oil level a week ago was full and after today after driving for 3 minutes(that’s being very generous), the dipstick reads bone dry. Could it be anything besides the rear main seal? Is taking out engine and/or the transmission required to fix?

All help is appreciated. Please get back to me at the earliest convenience!
Sorry for the novel I just wrote above!!

I have pictures if that will help just let me know

Gray

[RedBird64]

Hello Gray, and welcome!
I'm not sure if even the rear main could leak that fast.
I would get under there and look all over. If you can't see an obvious leak, clean it up some with rags and maybe some brake cleaner. Then take a short drive and check again.
But first, I would check the oil filter. Sometimes when people change them the old rubber seal comes off the filter itself and sticks to the mating surface. Then the new filter sits on top or that and leaks like crazy.

Rear main seals aren't usually the cause of major leaks on these engines. More likely the ends of the intake manifold or the gasket around the oil pan.

Good luck!

Scott

[sseebart]

I'm not sure, but I think you're 58 likely has a y-block motor, which is pretty different than the 390. You may have better luck posting in the squarebirds forum.

That being said, the loss of 5 quarts of oil (a whole pan full) in 3 minutes would be a huge mess and the sign of some catastrophic failure, like a missing oil filter, no valve covers or a missing oil gallery plug.

I'm a little confused with your description of oil dripping from the engine to bellhousing bolts. That area is not sealed, so it can't fill up with oil and leak. Chances are, the leak is higher up and the oil is pooling there before dripping. Some photos of the condition would be very helpful.

~Steve

[Alan H. Tast]

58 and 64 are both FE-series (332-352-360-361-390-410-427-428). Common leak point at top of engine is between intake/head/block at rear. Would need to pull valve covers, rocker shaft, pushrods and intake to reseal. Do a search in the Forum on leaking intake and how to fix - has been discussed before. And ask 58-60 questions in the 58-60 section, please.

[RedBird64]

If it ends up being the ends of the intake manifold, I've had good luck with picking out all the old gasket material with a dental pick, cleaning it thoroughly with brake cleaner and then filling the void with Permatix Right Stuff Gasket maker (give it several days to totally cure).
Some intake manifold gasket sets dont even come with the end gaskets anymore. It works better to just lay down a bead of Permatex. The end gaskets can actually hold the manifold up too high - especially if heads have been milled. This is the way I installed mine and they haven't leaked.

Scott

[cacockrum]

You might consider refilling the engine with oil and then see if the engine will turn over and start. If it does, you could look for the source of the oil leak. It should be apparent. On the down side, there is a chance that the reason it got so hot during the short drive around you house was due to a lack of oil, in which case significant damage could have been caused to the bearings, cam, etc. Hopefully that is not the case.

Good luck

[RegM 56 T-Bird]

I am about to pull the engine and tranny to replace the engine rear seal and both front and rear tranny seals. I am presently in Florida for the winter and when I get back to Prince Edward Island at the end of April a friend of mine with extensive experience in rebuilding classic cars is going to do the job. I got a list of seals and gaskets I'll need from another friend who has lots of experience on 312's but I just noticed that no exhaust manifold gaskets are on the list - is this something I'll need or can we just use the old ones? Also, I ordered the silicon rear seal and was wondering if I need a special tool for inserting it? Thanks in advance for any info.

[Rt.146]

I used the metal exhaust gaskets, though it is told if both surfaces are machined no gasket is needed, just the same you cannot go wrong with the metal gasket. Have your torque converted check while you have the chance with the engine pulled, it comes out easy peasy.

[RegM 56 T-Bird]

Thanks, I'll order a set of the metal gaskets. Anything in particular I should be looking for in the torque converter?

[Rt.146]

Thanks, I'll order a set of the metal gaskets. Anything in particular I should be looking for in the torque converter?

A transmission shop like Amoco, can check out your converter there are different test they perform, it is heavy, the spindle from the trans. to the converter goes in one direction, both pull off easily, some trans fluid will spill out when taking it off. Look at your flex plate "flywheel" teeth for rounding or chipping, if it needs replacing don't discard the old one, it helps with the replacing, match up, this is one part I would be careful buying from the part vendors, the pitches on the teeth can be a problem leading to the starter grinding (horrible noise), it is a bear of a job to replace once the engine and trans. are back in the car.