DerrickS

So I pulled my transmission out because it was making some noises. Got a used one from a local guy here to replace it with that supposedly works OK. I was just going to do a "yank it out and throw the new one in" without doing anything else other than replace the rear seal, since that's cheap and easy. Reason being is I plan on a rebuild in the future for the engine, and now, transmission so I just wanted to get it running so I could drive it until then.

When I got the transmission out, I looked between the flywheel and engine to make sure that nothing was going on, and saw this:


It's wet back there, and that orange seal (is that the rear main?) spins with the flywheel. Other bolts in the surrounding area have a bit of wetness on them as well.

If this is the rear main, should I go through the trouble of replacing it now, or if it was you, would you just leave it?? I would like to leave it in place myself, but this job is just hard enough to make me question it.

If you've done this job before, please reply with your comments.

Thanks!

rwatson5651

iTrader: (5)

I would change this, but.... I have a homemade flywheel stopper thingy that would allow me to get the flywheel nut off without a major pita. IF you can get the flywheel off w/o a hugh pita, then I would change it, you can do it with a large impact and 2 1/8th socket or with the aforementioned stopper thingy. If this represents a hugh obstacle then put it back together and keep a check on the oil level.


2cts....

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

i'd either leave it alone, or do the rear main AND the stationary gear O-ring. once you have the flywheel off the stat gear is really easy, you just unbolt it and pull it out, change o ring and put it back. the only thing you cannot do is turn the engine with the stationary gear out, the gear guides the rotor. its totally fine to pull the gear and change the oring though.

clykins

iTrader: (1)

Unless you have an airgun that will let you retorque the flywheel nut to the 300+ ft/lbs, I would leave it. If you were going through a oil perhaps I would change it, but I would rather wait until the rebuild.

Jeff20B

iTrader: (13)

I'd personally leave the stat gear in place and just change the orange seal. Chances are the fact it spins with the flywheel is where all the oil is coming from and the o-ring inside is still fine. That's my grumpy morning opinion.

CobraStngSVT

Do it right, change the seal. It's obviously shot.

DerrickS

Thanks for the opinions guy. Is the orange thing the rear main seal?

Also should I put something inside the shifter housing, like a lubrication or something, before I reinstall the transmission?

DerrickS

I would like to add that the engine oil doesn't need to be topped off too often. This thing leaks like a sieve from everywhere else besides the rear main seal like any good rx 7 and I'm surprised how little oil I have to add.