chaikwa

Is it common for the rear main seals to leak in the 1st gen Cummins?

Mine's a 93 w/ about a half a million miles on it, so I shouldn't complain, but it just started leaking after switching to Shell Rotella from Castrol's 15/40 'Diesel-All'.

I can't get the Castrol where I live now, so Shell was the next choice, and altho I was reluctant to do so with such good luck on the former, didn't have much choice.

I feel like I have an old Detroit the way it leaks now! I'm just wondering if this is common and I shouldn't worry alot about it, or if I should fix it. If I should fix it, does the motor have to come out? Or can I do it from underneath and 'roll' in a new seal?

<sigh> I love my old truck, but it's becoming a PITA quickly.

chaikwa.

apache

from my exp, yes. the trans was just r+r ed on one and they insisted on replacing the seal with a upgraded one even though it wasent leaking yet. $85 for the seal kit I recall. I think the trans out will be the best route. Check your flex plate for cracks, thats why mine was yanked out.

BDT

the trans has to come out. it is a circle seal(goes in from the back)I really doubt if switching oil caused it,but then who knows.I replaced mine when it had just over 110,000 miles on her.due to leaks

chaikwa

Thanks for the info guys. This is one project I may just have to pay someone to do, as I'm not looking forward to doing it myself!

chaikwa.

Redleg

I experienced more blow by when I tried synthetic. Switched back to dinosaurs. Is the leak really that bad for that kind of exspence. If you did want to tackle it. It's not the worse transmission to remove. Just take the time to rent a tranny jack to make life easier handling that heavy T-case. If it was only a slight leak, I'd live with it until I had to pull the engine or tranny for something else.
Don

chaikwa

Redleg,

I really don't know how bad the leak is yet. Just discovered it and haven't driven the truck much since. After shutting it down, I ended up with a puddle about the size of a half dollar in diameter in about 15 minutes.

I'm in Massachusetts right now and the truck is still in MI, so I'll have to wait until I return around the 1st of April to run it and see exactly how much it loses.

I wouldn't be able to do this repair myself. The floor of my shop is dirt, so a tranny jack wouldn't roll around too well! Also, I'd be working alone, and that doesn't really thrill me either, so I guess I'll just have to pay to have this one done, if it comes to that.

I also found out today that the Castrol 15W40 I WAS using (and could only seem to get out here in Mass) has been discontinued and is now a 'semi-synthetic', so I guess I can't even go back to what I was using no matter how much I want to!

I'm not making a whole ton of money right now, but I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and put some charges on that plastic card I've never used that sits in my wallet! I hate to do it, but I'm not going to let the truck go to h*ll either. No matter WHAT I spend on it, it's better than a payment for a new truck every month!

chaikwa.

Denis

My truck has always used Rotella and with 203,00 miles it is dry as a bone underneath. In fact, I've never seen anything with that many miles that didn't leak.

On the other hand, I have a 1989 Dodge Dakota with 265,000 miles and it has leaked oil, antifreeze and tranny fluid since I bought it at 22,000 miles. Nothing I've done has ever fixed this, but it is as reliable as a pencil sharpener.

ouchman

I had mine replaced (professionally) last year. You could follow the trail of oil to the place that fixed it!

I use DELO (and a FRANTZ bypass filter) and not a drip since it was fixed. FYI - I believe specs call for it to be installed DRY.

chaikwa

..."You could follow the trail of oil to the place that fixed it!"...


That's what I'm afraid mine's going to be like now that it's started leaking. It's bad enough that it'll look like an old Detroit has parked wherever mine has been sitting now! Good ol' 6-71's... 6 horsepower, 71 leaks!

Redleg

I don't blame you a bit for not wanting to crawl through the dirt. It's just that everybody wanted 4-500 dollars for the removal and installation of the tranny and t-case on top of the rebuild price. I was crawling around the slush and ice out doors, I guess I should add the price of a new set of carhart's to my bill too. I wouldn't have attempted this either, if I didn't have the cement pad for the jacks and stands. I was just kinda thinking maybe you could add a little thicker oil to get buy awhile. Save up a little bit incase you/them discover another problem while things are apart. I'd offer up a place to work, but we don't have a floor in the barn either. Had to borrow the cement pad myself.
Anyway, talk to ya later....

Redleg

Oh, yeah, I really hate banks. Even more than insurance companies. If you could secure a place to work, I'd consider coming down for an afternoon and giving you a hand. Just to keep the bank from getting free money if anything.
Don

chaikwa

"If you could secure a place to work, I'd consider coming down for an afternoon and giving you a hand."


Redleg,

That's a generous offer! I can't tell you how much I appreciate that thought. Thank you!!!

The only thing that remotely resembles anything a tranny jack might roll around on is either the asphalt in the driveway or the old cement pad that used to hold a large propane vessel. The asphalt isn't very smooth either tho, and I can visualize the jack getting caught in a crack as I'm rolling it, then tipping over.

I hate banks too. I hate using the plastic even worse, but I think that's what the end result is eventually gonna be.

Thanks again for the offer!

chaikwa.

Nuttymopar

When I swapped my motor for Nascar Mark's motor in my Car port. I built a 12' x 16' platform from 2 x 4 and plywood. It was easy and not very $$ since I figured I would use the plywood for something else afterwards (walls, anything). I used screws so it came apart pretty easy. Truck was level and jacks rolled around nicely. Everything went together really well even though I changed it in February 2003 and it was mostly 0 to -17 below ZERO. **** COLD but used plastic around the walls and truck and turned on my 110btu salamander heater which heated it up to 15 - 20 degrees above zero. Insulated Carharts work well when needed. Took about 4 days and truck was up and running. 1 year later and 35,000 miles later, still going STRONG.

chaikwa

Yeah, I don't mind the dirt one bit. I can even dress for the cold, altho it's starting to get warmer now, so that's not a major concern. The thought of fighting with the tranny and transfer case and possibly having it end up on top of me is what REALLY puts me off! I DO have a decenet shop, just no hard floor to go with it!

chaikwa.

Redleg

Just some more food for thought. The only time I had to jack up the truck was to get the transfer case under the truck, while on the jack. This was after spending the morning trying to get it on the jack, at the right angle, while under the truck.