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Veteran
Posts: 111
| What is everyone using for a rear main seal? I'd prefer not to use the rope style if I could. My 69 GTX had a two piece rubber seal that could be used in place of the rope seal which seems to have cured the oil drip at the rear main seal. Is there any similar thing for the 315 or 325 Dodge poly? |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9904
  
Location: Lower Mainland BC | .
Something like this?
Crankshaft Seal Set, Part Number: BS 40245
https://www.drivparts.com/part-details.html?brand_code=BCWV&part_num...
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Veteran
Posts: 111
| Yes, thats what I was talking about. Will something like that (or that one) work on a 56 or 57 Dodge 315 / 325 motor?
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9904
Location: Lower Mainland BC | resq302 - 2023-03-06 8:44 PM
Yes, thats what I was talking about. Will something like that (or that one) work on a 56 or 57 Dodge 315 / 325 motor?
*IF* you click on the link that I provided and then on the APPLICATIONS folder label, and then scroll down, you will find:
Dodge Custom 1956-1956 Crankshaft Seal Set Rear 1 5.1L V8 5163cc/315cid
and
Dodge Coronet 1957-1958 Crankshaft Seal Set Rear 1 5.3L V8 5327cc/325cid
Pretty sure that fits the bill 
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Veteran
Posts: 111
| ah ha ! would ya look at that ! lol. thanks. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 445
Location: Beaumont TX | I have a 1955 Plymouth Poly head 259 V8 and have changed my rear main seal 4 or 5 times. It originally came with the rope seal just like all of them. I had the engine rebuilt in 2011 and a neoprene seal was installed and it started leaking in 500 miles. I pulled the oil pan in 2011 and did some work on the engine oiling system and put a new neoprene seal in and it started leaking in about 500 miles. Then the car was at the upholstery shop for 8 years.
I had to turn the crank shaft in 2020 for the main bearings and put another neoprene seal in and it started leaking pretty fast. I wondered if the angled groves were causing them to leak.
But finally I got some real good advice from Scott Taylor (BBDakota) and this seal is doing real good. If you read starting in June 2020 on this post, "56 Dodge Royal 4dr Hardtop", you can see what Scott told me.... Just search for BBDakota to find it.
To get a good seal, you have to do the following things.
1. Clock the seals about 10 degrees. This just means you don't line up the split in the seal with the main bearing and the block joint. Several places on the internet say and show to do this. It just helps hold the seal ends lined up better.
2. Clean out the seal slot that the seal is put in real good just like Scott said.
3. Put a smear of RTV on the ends of the seal halves to help stop oil leaking through the top and bottom half splits, again like Scott said.
4. Put a smear of RTV on the very back of the rear main cap where you can tell oil could leak through. This is past the outside diameter of the seal and toward the outside of the engine. Note that this is the mating surface of the bearing cap to the block so just put the smallest smear to RTV here and just on the outside edge, not across the whole mating surface. I think Scott puts the smear of RTV all across the whole mating surface but I was afraid of messing up the clearance on the main bearings. Whichever way you go, just use the slightest amount of RTV here.
I got my last rear main seal from Hot Heads and it is the one that is still working.
Edited by samstrader 2023-03-07 5:05 PM
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9904
Location: Lower Mainland BC | samstrader - 2023-03-07 1:30 PM
I got my last rear main seal from Hot Heads and it is the one that is still working.
Like this one?
P/N 90004 from
https://www.hothemiheads.com/dodge/engine_block/gaskets.html
Bigger question is how much work is it to get the oil pan off with the engine still in the car?
Edited by 56D500boy 2023-03-07 7:05 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 111
| thats why I am doing it when the oil pan is off and the motor is out of the car ! I really dont want to have to jack up the motor in the car again in order to drop the oil pan. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 445
Location: Beaumont TX | Yes, the seal I got from Hot Heads was their number 90004. It is a Best gasket 3880 E... This is for a 1955 v8 259 block. It may not be the same for a 1956. The folks at Hot Heads can help you get the right gasket.
It will definitely be easier to install the seal with the engine out...I don't have power steering or anything else under there so the job of pulling my oil pan wasn't terrible but it wasn't a lot of fun either. The pulling and installing of the actual seal is pretty easy after you get the main bearing cap off. The top half of the seal rolls out pretty easy. I'm just saying it is not such a hard job that you have to be afraid of trying it. Just be sure to use a little RTV and clock the seal halves a little.
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New User
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| My take on the subject.
Not sure on the 55 Plymouth but my 55 Dodge isn’t terrible.
Has the 270 Hemi.
Starter was removed, exhaust cross-over, dip stick, and the steering linkage such as centerlink and tie rod ends.
Some people loosen all the mains caps just a bit for some clearance to remove and replace the rear main seal, however I don’t think it’s necessary and with some patience can usually be rolled out. We used to do rear main seals often not too long ago.
Also the debate is still out concerning whether a lipped seal or the rope seal is superior, some claiming the rope seal is more forgiving to normal crank issues and imperfections. The lip seal has a very small surface of contact area.
Either way, “Best” gasket is the way to go and they have both, being far superior in construction to the alternative’s I’ve seen.
Good luck! |
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what is everyone using for a rear main seal?
