What happens if you have an oil leak in the rear main seal?

Driving with a rear main seal leak can be very dangerous and can lead to total engine failure. The location of this seal makes detecting and fixing an oil leak challenging and complicated. 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.

How can I tell if my rear crankshaft seal is leaking?

Oil puddles: The most common sign of a rear crankshaft seal is oil puddles on the garage floor or the driveway. These oil puddles can be seen either when the vehicle is parked for a long time or while driving. However, the oil may leak from various parts of an engine.

What can I use to stop rear main seal leak?

To recondition the rear main seal, get a blue devil rear main sealer. This product is specially formulated to stop the rear main seal leak. It does this by restoring rubber gaskets and seals, it is also an excellent repair for timing cover leaks, and it’s safe to be used for both gas and diesel engines.

Where is the oil pan gasket under the rear seal?

The oil pan gasket is just below the rear main seal. An oil pan gasket is also usually much less expensive to replace so it’s important to check for leaks in your oil pan gasket before you jump to any conclusions.

Where does the oil leak come from on a GMC Truck?

It CANNOT go up. OP said leak *appears* to be coming from above the rear main seal, which *could* rule out the oil pan. However, rear main seal or oil pan gasket or both could be failing. Though as mentioned in another post, it could be coming from the oil pressure sensor.

Is the rear main seal on a 2000 GM Truck?

From buying research to owner support, join 1.5 MILLION GM Truck Enthusiasts every month who use GM-Trucks.com as a daily part of their ownership experience. I’ve been chasing an oil leak on my 2000 4wd 5.3 for about a month and I’m afraid it’s the rear main.

What causes a leak in the rear main seal?

Since rear main seal leaks are uncommon on most vehicles it’s very possible that you’ve got another leak higher up on the motor that is dripping down and just looks like a rear main seal leak. The most common leaks that can masquerade as a rear main seal leak is a valve cover gasket leak, intake manifold gasket leak or a distributor gasket leak.

What to do about a Chevy Tahoe oil leak?

The main was definitely wet and I changed both the rear cover gasket and the main seal (the kit was less than $25 at Napa). I also serviced the tranny (dumped the fluid, changed the filter, removed and replaced the tail extension o-ring.

What causes an oil leak in the engine?

Also, if you own a turbocharged or supercharged engine, excessive engine blow-by due to defective or worn out piston rings can increase the crankcase pressure, affecting the seals and result in oil leaks.

Can a rebuild in a can stop an oil leak?

“Rebuild in a can” as we call it will NOT repair your engine. It will cause the seals to soften and swell which MAY temporarily stop the oil leak. However, it will also effect every other oil seal and gasket in the engine. You will forever be chasing oil leaks. It will also raise the viscosity of the oil.

Why is my rear main seal leaking oil?

The rear main seal is subject to both high oil pressure since it is right by the rear main bearing as well as the spinning crankshaft which is constantly wearing on the inside of the seal. No matter how often you change your oil, eventually the spinning metal crankshaft will wear down the seal enough to cause a leak.

What should I do if I have an oil leak in my engine?

To replace the seal, either the engine or transmission will have to be removed. Once one of those is removed the oil pan also has to come out so it gets to be an expensive job. Some seals and gasket in your engine never cause large leaks because of the design or because they don’t seal a pressurized portion of the engine.

Can a damaged head gasket cause an oil leak?

Damaged Head Gasket: A damaged head gasket with holes can cause the oil to leak into the transmission system. If such is the case, inspect your gasket and have it replaced to fix the issue. 8. Main Seal The main seal is responsible for preventing the oil to escape from the front of the crankshaft as the car is moving.

What to do if you have an oil pan leak in your Chevy Tahoe?

If the leak has been diagnosed as coming from the engine rear cover assembly, refer to Engine Rear Cover Replacement in SI and remove the engine rear cover assembly. Inspect for engine block porosity where the engine rear cover mates to the engine block.

What to do if you have an oil leak in the rear main seal?

If you are dealing with an engine oil leak, you’re in the right place. Add entire bottle of Rear Main Seal Repair to engine crankcase (where you normally add oil) at or between oil changes. Do not overfill. Most leaks will stop within 100 miles or 2 days of driving.

When do you replace the rear main seal?

Often with a rear main seal leak the engine has to be removed from the vehicle to replace the seal. The rear main seal is what seals the crankshaft to the engine block and keeps engine oil from leaking out around the crank.