Pinto Car Club of America

Wifey's 79 Pinto has 38,000 original miles and runs great!
However the rear main seal keeps leaking more & more.
I have changed the PVC valve, no difference.

So later this summer I plan to pull the engine and change the rear seal, timing belt, maybe even the head gasket, etc

I was looking at the not so detailed Haynes manual, it looks like a 2 piece rear main seal.  :read: It looks like it can't be installed without pulling the crank ??   Or if it could be pulled out and new one installed, my chance for success would be limited.  I don't want to pull the motor twice, it's an automatic!    I am worried that if I pulled the crank that I would convince myself to rebuild the whole motor  :hangover:

Anyone changed the rear main seal of a 2.3 without pulling the crank and had success?  Any BTDT tips? 

I did that once on my 77 Pinto and it did not leak. I did this with the engine still in the car but it will no doubt be easier with it out. Loosen the rear main caps evenly, and remove the cap with the rear main seal. using a punch tap on the seal until it starts to come out the other side of the groove, then use a pair of pliers to pull it the rest of the way. Make sure you lube up the new seal with plenty of assembly lube, and guide it into the slot. The part of the seal that installs in the cap is easier to install.

Any other questions ask away.

How bad was your rear main seal leaking before you fixed it.

Ours was dripping just a little to now a continuous slow drip. 

Well, if this tells you anything, I was going to drive the car about 70 miles in 2006 to get some parts for the car, and by the time I went about 60 miles the engine light was coming on quite a bit. I filled the oil before I left the house & at that point it was about two or more quarts low. After that it leaked a lot worse. If The floors on the car would not have been rusty they would not from all the oil on the underside of the car.