Rear Main
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How bad is the leak, does it both you or make a mess??
It is a fairly big job, got to pull the transmission and t/case so you can pull the flex plate.
Doubt if you would want to do it, so how bad is it, can you live with it?
Mike J.
It is a fairly big job, got to pull the transmission and t/case so you can pull the flex plate.
Doubt if you would want to do it, so how bad is it, can you live with it?
Mike J.
Well I get a couple drip marks each night on the driveway. I had thought it was my transmission or the transfer case. The dealership quoted me 2900 to replace that and my valve cover gaskets. They said they would just pull the whole motor to do this.
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229 Posts
I think most of us who own these trucks have oil/ps/trans leaks one time oretrnly said:
another.
I agree with Disco mike that if is not leaking that bad just check your fluid
levels on a daily basis and learn to live with it.
I have yet to see a rover that doesn't leak something :dunno:
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1,971 Posts
most 'rear main' diagnoses are faulty. Often it's just the pan or the valve cover gaskets leaking down and dripping off the rear of the engine. The valve covers blow out towards the back when the oil separator gets plugged. Even if the rear main leaks a little, it's often just that the crankcase isn't venting properly- and once resolved, the leak stops.
Changing cover gaskets is a simple job- takes a little time, but simple. Pan gasket is a dirty job, but again- not hard.
Changing cover gaskets is a simple job- takes a little time, but simple. Pan gasket is a dirty job, but again- not hard.
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720 Posts
Etrnly: if you are going to do the leaking valve cover gaskets yourself, permit me to offer some comments - first get prepared:
1 check you have an 8mm deep 12 point socket (1/4 inch drive). You may find the cover bolts are only finger tight when you remove them. Torque to about 4-5 ftlbs when you put them back. Sometimes people have replaced the factory 12 point bolts with 6 point.
2 the dealer will probably tell you that you need to buy 8 new bolts because the old collar seals (just under the bolt heads) are hard now. This is rubbish. Go to the hardware and buy a foot of neoprene clear tubing (ID 0.187" OD 0.312" worked for me). Cut off 8 little doughnuts about 2mm thick each and slip them over the cleaned old bolts - this will work well as seals against oil leakage around the bolt heads.
3 the dealer around here does not use any sealer on these gaskets but I always use Permatex Super adhesive/sealer "97 Hightack". Glue the gasket to the heads first, located by the bolts. Then glue the valve cover down.
4 do one side of the engine at a time, the passenger (right side) is usually a more difficult job because you have to remove more things along the way.
5 the job took me over 5 hours the first time I did it - I work slow and clean everything as I go. I took a nap at one point.
6 retorque after a week or so.
The dealer will charge you many hundreds for this job that you can easily do yourself. Get a (Haynes) manual first if you don't have one.
Once you have eliminated valve cover leakage, see if there are fewer drips on the driveway - you could be lucky. Cheers!
1 check you have an 8mm deep 12 point socket (1/4 inch drive). You may find the cover bolts are only finger tight when you remove them. Torque to about 4-5 ftlbs when you put them back. Sometimes people have replaced the factory 12 point bolts with 6 point.
2 the dealer will probably tell you that you need to buy 8 new bolts because the old collar seals (just under the bolt heads) are hard now. This is rubbish. Go to the hardware and buy a foot of neoprene clear tubing (ID 0.187" OD 0.312" worked for me). Cut off 8 little doughnuts about 2mm thick each and slip them over the cleaned old bolts - this will work well as seals against oil leakage around the bolt heads.
3 the dealer around here does not use any sealer on these gaskets but I always use Permatex Super adhesive/sealer "97 Hightack". Glue the gasket to the heads first, located by the bolts. Then glue the valve cover down.
4 do one side of the engine at a time, the passenger (right side) is usually a more difficult job because you have to remove more things along the way.
5 the job took me over 5 hours the first time I did it - I work slow and clean everything as I go. I took a nap at one point.
6 retorque after a week or so.
The dealer will charge you many hundreds for this job that you can easily do yourself. Get a (Haynes) manual first if you don't have one.
Once you have eliminated valve cover leakage, see if there are fewer drips on the driveway - you could be lucky. Cheers!
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excellent points! We use neoprene gaskets and they seem to be working out very well. Dont forget the point of the whole thing- clean the oil separator that's in the valve cover while it's off.
Along with etrnly, I am grateful for all your posts as I've had some knowledgable friends give me the same diagnose. I know for a fact that my Valve Cover gaskets have gone towards the rear of the engine, like MuddyOval has specified. I also know my oil pan gasket can be gone as well. This is what the underside of my engine looks like...
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If you notice, the rear of the pan still has somewhat fresh oil on it in that image. Here's more evidence that this is indeed is due to bad valve cover gaskets...
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I still ask myself though,
what is the condition of my rear main seal?
If you notice, the rear of the pan still has somewhat fresh oil on it in that image. Here's more evidence that this is indeed is due to bad valve cover gaskets...
I still ask myself though,
what is the condition of my rear main seal?
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16,548 Posts
You might want to consider cleaning your engine real well, changing you engine oil put in new oil and some engine oil dye and then let it run, checking very frequently to find your leaksssssssss.
If you feel your oil pan is also leaking, pull the pan and see what sort of surprises you might find. It would be a good opportunity to clean alot of sludge and varnish, as well as inspect the pick up tube, making sure it is not about to fall off and that it is clean. Check for unusual chunks or debrit in the bottom of the pan, and spray clean everything to get out all the varnish you can before putting it back together.
Mike J.
If you feel your oil pan is also leaking, pull the pan and see what sort of surprises you might find. It would be a good opportunity to clean alot of sludge and varnish, as well as inspect the pick up tube, making sure it is not about to fall off and that it is clean. Check for unusual chunks or debrit in the bottom of the pan, and spray clean everything to get out all the varnish you can before putting it back together.
Mike J.
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720 Posts
Etrnly. I must have used up the Permatex 97 HighTack. The Permatex I used on two more recent jobs was Permatex 2Form.A Gasket Sealant - the tube says Part No. 2AR. Also used Permatex Ultra Copper #101BR (this is a high temp RTV 'gasket maker'). I think I bought the tubes at Canadian Tire or Lordco Parts in Vancouver. I expect US retailers like Autozone or PepBoys or Napa should carry these products or some equivalent. Permatex/Loctite products are made in the US.
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120 Posts
Worth doing the rocker box covers first I recon, then wash down the engine bay, if it still leaks try some "seal replenish" its an oil addertive and yep you can get this stuff in the US as thats where I first saw it. Cost is about $15 here in New Zealand and if you have problems finding some PM me and ill post you a bottle for free OK 
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720 Posts
Yes, good point Craig. Seal replenishers have worked for me really well. We have an ancient Ford pickup that was squirting power steering fluid - used $12 Lucas Power Steering Stop Leak (I don't think this American Lucas has anything to do with the British electric 'Lord of Darkness') It slowed the leak with a single treatment and completely stopped the leak with a second.
Have never tried 'stop leak' products on a Disco but I suspect that is only a matter of time..
Have never tried 'stop leak' products on a Disco but I suspect that is only a matter of time..
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1,971 Posts
there is a sure-fire way to check the rear main. Here it is (coming from a guy who has had a bad one on his own 04 and had to diagnose it for the dealer):
Slide under the truck- get up underneath the rear of the pan where the bellhousing is. There is an inspection port, round in shape, with three small bolts. Remove the bolts and drop the inspection plate. If there's a lot of oil there, it's the rear main. Outide oil leaking down the block won't typically get inside the bellhousing.
Slide under the truck- get up underneath the rear of the pan where the bellhousing is. There is an inspection port, round in shape, with three small bolts. Remove the bolts and drop the inspection plate. If there's a lot of oil there, it's the rear main. Outide oil leaking down the block won't typically get inside the bellhousing.
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