I'm really struggling to get my 01 back together enough to where I can finish replacing the clutch that went out on it.

I need to know if there are any special alignment tools that I will need to install the following part which is the rear main seal housing:





I know I need the pilot tool when installing the rear main seal into this part, but I need to know just about this part. It just looks like I could simply bolt it back on with the 6 bolts that hold it in place, and then worry about alignment only when I go to install the seal. Please let me know if there is more to it than this. My truck has been down a very long time due and I really need it back in driving condition.

Many, many thanks to anyone that can reply.

Ted

 

If this is the one you took off you should be able to see where the bolts bolted up to the old one if is a new one easy fix is to call your local drive shaft shop ..they can tell yo how to do it.

 

Thanks hnd2hnd. I unfortunately ruined the old housing when I was drilling holes to fit pulling screws into the old rear main seal. I've got a "new" housing I bought on ebay on its way, and I have the gasket that fits between the housing and block, and I've also got a new rear main seal to install into the updated housing.

It sounds like it is not as simple as just bolting the housing on and only worrying about alignment of the rear main seal itself.

If anyone has been through this I could really use any tips, and also I would appreciate it if anyone could point me to the special tool needed (if there is one) to align this housing when bolting it back on.

Ted

 

try calling a cummins shop, in the mean time i'll look in my book

 

the book says the seal service kit has an alignment tool in it

 

dude to do it properly install new rear seal in housing makeingshure not to disturb the seal install ring glue the gasket to the back dont cut the 2 extra tabs at bottom yet drop oil pan and slip the seal on crankshaft with the slip tool on the seal in place ( it will stay on the end of the crank bolt it to the block and torque to spec then trim the bottom ends flush with the pan rail and 2 very small dots of silicone @ that joint then reinstall the pan

 

Thanks Guys - I got a couple of good used rear main seal housings off Ebay, and purchased one more rear main seal and the u-shaped housing gasket. I removed the old one. Man I didn't realize how bad I had damaged the old one with my drill bit until I removed it.

Anyway, I have installed the "new" undamaged housing with a new rear main seal and new u-shaped housing gasket, bolted the cleaned up flywheel on using new flywheel bolts with a drop of loctite, installed the new clutch after cleaning everything up with Brakleen, lifted up and bolted on the nv5600 and am now fighting with my transmission crossmember (see my other post).

The only thing I've not done yet is drop and clean the oilpan to remove any metal shavings I may have inadvertently added when I drilled the daylights out of the old seal and seal housing. I'll try to do that once I have the everything back together since the clearance at the front of the pan is so tight right now with the weight of the motor rocked back on the left and right motor mounts.

Thanks for all the tips!

 

Ted, Make sure you check the machined surface on the crankshaft really good. A small nick or burr on the crank will tear the new seal up in no time.

 

Thanks BigIron70. If I had it to do over, I would never have tried the drillbit method of removing the rear main seal. I would automatically have just popped the housing off and installed the seal that way.

I do recall having seen a tiny, tiny imperfection on the diameter of the end of the crankshaft, near where it rests in the seal, but at this point it is what it is, and I have everything back together with the new clutch installed inside the tranny which is now bolted back on.

I will pray when I give it the smoke test that the new seal remains intact and no further oil leaks result. If it does happen that my repair doesn't last and an oil leak does result, I'm going to throw in the towel and take the whole thing to the dealer and suck up their fees. I know now that I CAN put a clutch in a Dodge Cummins truck, but this does not mean I will WANT TO ever again, lol!

This is one of those situations where I was operating with very limited knowledge in a very unknown problem space, having never r&r'ed a clutch and rear main seal, and the knowledge I gained would allow me to do a much better job on any subsequent work of this type, but I am unfortunately not able to be spared the consequences of my incompetence doing it the first time! I congratulate myself for at least having fixed the mess with the rear main seal housing itself :-)

 

Well glad you have gotten everything back together. I had to replace housing on the last rear main seal I did also. Seal had spun in housing, I hope the updated seal I installed doesn't . You saved over $800 by doing job yourself and gained some experience working on your own truck. Many people wouldn't have tackled a big job like that. 4X4 with 6 speed trans, are not that easy to muscle out either. Pulling that pressure plate and flywheel , well just don't ever drop it on your toe. DTR members will always try to help you out. I must have missed your first post, I would have suggested removing housing. Good job getting everything back together.

 

Thanks BigIron70. I am putting the final touches on it. I just hope like we talked about that oil leak doesn't happen and that the thing will properly engage the gears. I'll update this post with the results. It sure would be nice for it to hold together and enjoy saving the $800 the dealer would have charged!

Ted