How much does it cost to repair rear main seal?
Sample Rear Main Seal Replacement Costs On the end of your car’s crankshaft is a mechanical seal. This seal ensures that engine oil does not leak out. If it starts to crack or otherwise malfunction, you will be left with an oil leak. You will pay …
How much time to replace rear main seal?
3 rows · Cost Factors for Rear Main Seal Replacement. Replacing your rear main seal typically ...
How to change your rear main seal?
Aug 13, 2021 · These rear main seals do not generally cost more than $25. But the rear main seal replacement cost is very expensive since it requires a lot of man-hours to be done. That’s especially in some cars that have a really tight space to work on and will bring a lot of hurdles for the mechanic to access them and replace the rear main seal properly.
How much to replace rear engine seal?
Generally speaking, one would be required to spend anywhere between $800 to $1600 to fix an issue of this nature. So, it’s not going to be a cheap affair. As hinted earlier, the labor cost will give you every ounce of trouble it can. Seriously, the labor rates can easily go up to $1200. The part won’t cost you more than $100.
Is it worth fixing a rear main seal?
The rear main seal is one of the essential seals in your vehicle that you don't expect to leak unless you're dropping your engine or transmission because replacing this seal requires dissembling the engine or transmission before you can reach it.
Is it OK to drive with a rear main seal leak?
The possibility of a very fast leak is the biggest factor that makes it so dangerous to drive with a rear main seal leak. As we just mentioned, your rear main seal is in a place that gets a lot of oil thrown at it and has the added wear of the crankshaft spinning inside of it.
Can you replace a rear main seal without removing the transmission?
Usually, we will need to remove the transmission before reaching to the rear main seal. But you can do this rear main seal replace without removing the transmission. It is not less difficult than the other way, however, you can do it on your own.
How long does a rear main seal take to replace?
Replacing a Rear Main Seal However, the process to get to the rear main seal to replace it often requires removal of the entire engine and transmission from the vehicle, a job that can only be done by very skilled mechanics and even then can take 6-10 hours!
What causes a rear main seal to go out?
The most common cause of rear seal leaks is age and/or high mileage. The seal can also leak due to the vehicle being stored for an extended period of time, or from running the engine low on oil. This causes drying and hardening of the seal leading to shrinking, cracking and tearing of the rear main seal.
How do you slow down a rear main seal leak?
0:051:19How to Install BlueDevil Rear Main Sealer - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNow Blue Devil rear main seal er is guaranteed to restore dried shrunken. And crack seals to theirMoreNow Blue Devil rear main seal er is guaranteed to restore dried shrunken. And crack seals to their original condition. While you drive now it works in both gas.
Can you replace a rear main seal yourself?
Since it is such a difficult repair, it's usually not something you can do yourself and your mechanic has to charge a lot for. Replacing a rear main seal can be so expensive the cost to replace it may be more than you have to spend, or even more than your vehicle is worth.
Does BlueDevil Rear Main Sealer really work?
Devil With a Blue Dress In days of old, shade tree mechanics poured lacquer thinner into the engine oil to puff up the rubber timing cover and rear main seals to stop leaks—and, yes, sometimes it worked.
Does a rear main seal leak oil or transmission fluid?
A rear main seal leak will cause oil to drip from the bottom of the bellhousing at the front of the transmission. If you have drips coming from in front of the bellhousing, locate those leaks, stop them and clean the engine. After a few hundred miles you can check again for leaks to see if you still have any.
Does Engine Oil Stop Leak work?
Oil stop leaks are designed to revitalize gaskets and seals to minimize gaps that cause leaks. However, if you have a large hole or a lot of engine damage, an oil stop leak will not solve the problem.
What does a rear main seal leak look like?
0:101:12How To Tell If A Rear Main Seal Is Leaking | Diagnosing an Oil LeakYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt looks like looks like it's even running back in through the transmission fluid pan.MoreIt looks like looks like it's even running back in through the transmission fluid pan.
Why should I replace the rear main seal?
Why should you have your rear main seal replaced? It’s not something that you need to get fixed right away, but the sooner you get it fixed, the more money you are likely to save on repairs later. You can protect your engine, camshaft, gears and other parts from wearing out prematurely by getting the leak taken care of. You will also protect your vehicle from damage caused by leaking oil. On top that, you won’t have to keep such a close eye on the oil levels, and you be able to drive without wondering how soon you need to top up the oil to prevent car damage.
How much does it cost to replace a crankshaft seal?
If it starts to crack or otherwise malfunction, you will be left with an oil leak. You will pay between $650 and $850 for this replacement. The labor should cost around $700, while parts are only about $35.
What happens if you drive with low oil?
If you drive with low oil, then you can damage the camshaft, gears and other parts that need oil to act as a barrier between them, so they do not wear each other down.
How long does it take to remove a transmission seal?
This may sound straightforward, but removing some of the parts can take hours, especially if the mechanic is taking his time to ensure that nothing is damaged.
How to tell if oil is low?
To identify when you are having this problem, you should look out for oil leaks under your vehicle, the smell of burning oil as you drive the car, and an oil indicator light on your dashboard. You may also hear grinding noises or other sounds from the transmission if your oil gets too low.
Can you replace a seal on a car?
Replacing the seal can be an in-depth job, no matter what kind of vehicle you have. There are a lot of parts to deal with, and the mechanic has to be careful not to damage the engine or let oil leak out in the process. If the oil has already begun to leak out, though, then further repairs and cleaning may be required.
14 responses to "Rear Main Seal Replacement Cost"
The rear main seal is leaking so I got a few estimates on the repair, my NAPA guy showed me to your product line and said the rear main sealer will work, so I figure why not a quick fix, I changed the oil and added a bottle and it did work or at least slowed it down for about a week, so I went and got another bottle and put it in, that worked for another week or so then it started leaking again.
14 Comments
The rear main seal is leaking so I got a few estimates on the repair, my NAPA guy showed me to your product line and said the rear main sealer will work, so I figure why not a quick fix, I changed the oil and added a bottle and it did work or at least slowed it down for about a week, so I went and got another bottle and put it in, that worked for another week or so then it started leaking again.
Where It Is Located?
The rear main seal, as its name implies, is a seal that makes sure that your crankshaft stays lubricated all the time and no oil leaks out from the engine.
Why Does The Rear Main Seal Fail?
The rear main seal fails because of two factors. These factors are affecting its lifespan and make it unusable. One of these factors is heat and the other factor is age.
How To Recognize A Failing Rear Main Seal?
A leaking rear main seal is a big problem. And it’s not that hard to recognize if you have a real main seal failure. To do this, you need to know the location of this rear main seal. And this is behind the firewall of the vehicle. The seal is basically located between the rear of the engine and the flywheel.
When You Should Replace This Seal?
This is a good question, mainly because if you don’t have enough cash in your bank account you can continue driving like this. When this seal starts to fail small drops of oil start to appear and you need to be aware that you are having a rear main seal leak on your car.
How To Replace A Rear Main Seal?
Replacing a rear main seal is not a simple task. To do this job, you need to have a proper working environment because you need to access the car from underneath if the vehicle is a rear-wheel drive. This is because the transmission, torque converter, and flywheel have to come off to reach the rear main seal.
How To Save Money On This Seal
If you want to save money, you can do this job at a friend’s house. Supposing that he has a lift or jack stands, you can pay him a lot less money to get this thing done. Or you can do this job together as a team.
Can I Drive My Car Like This?
As we said, you can keep driving your car as it is but you shouldn’t. This is the case because your car is constantly losing oil and if you don’t fill the car with oil, you are going to leave your engine dry and your engine is going to fail.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Bad Rear Main Seal?
To identify the issue, you will have to look for oil leaks under your car. An oil light indicator or the burning smell of fuel can also alert you of the issue. Unless you do all the car repairs on your own, you would be interested in knowing the repair cost for replacing the rear main seal. Let’s tell you the cost of repair.
How Much Does Rear Main Seal Replacement Cost?
The cost would vary depending on the work needed to fix the issue. This means motorists will eventually suffer from the problem of a significant price difference in labor costs. If it’s a quick fix for one vehicle doesn’t mean that it will be a quick fix for another too. The amount of work needed would vary. Hence, the labor cost will also vary.
Can You Fix Rear Main Seal On Your Own?
Frankly speaking, you shouldn’t even think of taking this route. Expertise aside, you would need a lot of specialized tools to replace the rear main seal of your car. From a transmission jack to an engine stand and more, even most local garages may not have all the tools on hand to replace the rear main seal quickly and efficiently.
How To Save Money on Rear Main Seal Replacement?
Because you wouldn’t normally be fixing an issue of this nature on your own, not a lot of saving options are available at your disposal. It’s an obvious point but still needs to be mentioned sometimes.
Why is my rear main seal failing?
The primary cause of the rear main seal failure is rupture inside the engine or on a component connected to the engine. For many car owners, such news could cause a bad day because the rear main seal replacement is one of the expensive, most labor-intensive, and most-dreaded repair jobs to do on your vehicle.
Where is the main seal on a car?
The rear main seal is found at the back of the engine between the engine and the transmission, which seals the crankshaft’s back end from leaking. It is an expensive fix because, most times, it requires removing the transmission or dismantling the engine.
What is the seal on a crankshaft?
The rear crankshaft seal is usually made of silicone or rubber. The seal wears out over time as a result of corrosion from road salt, crankshaft rotational forces, and other environmental factors. Driving with a rear main seal leak can be very dangerous and can lead to total engine failure.
How to tell if crankshaft seal is leaking?
Just like every other mechanical component, some signs and symptoms will pop up to notify the driver of a defective or leaking rear crankshaft seal. Oil puddles: The most common sign of a rear crankshaft seal is oil puddles on the garage floor or the driveway.
Why does my crankshaft leak?
Engine oil condition: One of the factors that can cause the rear crankshaft seal to leak is using the wrong type of engine oil or low oil level. Most engine oils have chemical additives that might affect the seals in the engine. An irregular oil change will deteriorate the seals.
What is the condition of a crankshaft?
Crankshaft condition: The rear crankshaft seal lip rides directly on the crankshaft. Therefore, the crankshaft surface that the inner seal drives on is critical. Any wear or imperfections on the crankshaft can result in a leak. The surface can be restored by installing a sleeve kit on it.
Why does my engine seal deteriorate?
It is no news that engine seals deteriorate over a long period of use due to oil acidity, heat, and several other related issues, usually due to lack of maintenance . In such a case, the rear main seal stop leak is needed to recondition the seal and work for a few thousand miles.