Can I use ______ to temporarily fix the rear main oil leak?

[jumpn4jesus]

I just had a though....a while back I sliced a hole in the oil pan of my car and I used JB weld to fix it. Was supposed to be a temp fix, but drove that way for almost a year! I now have a 92 ex and the rear main seal is leaking....well as I'm sure you can tell from above what I'm gonna ask. Is it possible for me to JB weld shut the gap where the tranny and engine mate to fix the rear main leak?
Just a thought.
Let me know. I am trying to get rid of my ex and get a 94+ Ranger. They get at least a little better gas mileage!

Also, do you know how much, usually, are wheels/tires at the JY? I would like to keep my crager soft 8's and put them on whatever ranger I get, but obviously have to have something for wheels on mine to sell it. Thanks in advance.

 

[stang 1989]

I have never heard of anyone useing jb on a seal imm not sure if it will work because it is a metal base and the seal needs to be able to flex with temp changes

 

[Dan Whitaker]

No. You can not use JB Weld to to fix the rear main seal leak.

 

[jumpn4jesus]

So if I "welded" that gap, where the trans and motor mate, it would still leak? So where is it leaking from? It's dripping from there.

 

[boggs1227]

i have used j-b weld to fix alot of stuff ...good stuff indeed but not a rear main seal .when j-b weld dries it becomes a brittle type of material ..strong as it is all globbed up but when put into a really tight area and not have much body to it it's weak...i'm betting it will start to break apart then bits will get into other parts of the seal and eat those to hell .it may work but i'm betting that VERY shortlly after the rest of the seal will go belly up .

mine leaks too but i just plain to deal with it till it becomes a steady drip .then undo the transmission and flywheel and replace it with an updated seal .

edit: also if you do jb weld the lower parts of the drive train like you meantioned then oil will now pool up and then it now has a chance to get all over your clutch and saturated it with engine oil ......means new clutch !

 

[jumpn4jesus]

That's the issue with mine! Baseball sized puddle every time I stop for about 10 mins! I just replaced the clutch, but like a dumbass forgot to change the seal while I was in there!!!!!!:thumbdwn:

 

[boggs1227]

So if I "welded" that gap, where the trans and motor mate, it would still leak? So where is it leaking from? It's dripping from there.

also have you looked around the back of the engine near the valve covers? thats another place to look for a streaming type oil leak .

 

[jumpn4jesus]

No, I haven't. Like the valve cover gasket?

 

[boggs1227]

yes... ( also your clutch don't slip with that much oil slinging around in thre ?? )you know since you already done your clutch that the manual tranmissions are not quite as bulky and as big as the automatics ...so you got that going for you unlike me a others with
a4ld's.

 

[XploreAlaska]

okay, i just did a main seal on my ex, and head gasket and valve cover gasket... heres how to see whats leaking because a leaking head gasket or valve cover gasket can be mistaken for a rear main seal because they all drip from the same spot (under the truck from between the engine and tranny) 1) wash the engine really really good at your local car wash and make sure you use some "gunk" engine degreaser.... 2) remove the plastic in your wheel wells, wash under there real good because youll be able to see your headers, heads, and valve cover real well (you dont need to do this if you have a body lift) 3) drive it around 4) look at whats leaking, if its coming from your head area, then look up there for your problem, you might be lucky with a valve cover gasket.... if it is your rear mainseal, grab a buddy on a day that you guys arent doing anything and drop the tranny and replace the seal. mine was 13 dollars at autozone and they had it in stock because the main seal from a 4.0 fits alot of other engines as well.

 

[jumpn4jesus]

oooo I hope it's the valve gasket.....FINGERS REALLY REALLY REALLY crossed.

If the manuals are easier than autos, I don't EVER wanna have to mess with an ald4!!! This thing was a PITA!!!

I will do that and see what's up! Thanks a ton. and I hope I get lucky with the valve covers instead of rear main!

 

[HahnsB2]

So if I "welded" that gap, where the trans and motor mate, it would still leak? So where is it leaking from? It's dripping from there.

No, the rear main seal is on the end of the crankshaft.

 

[bisjoe]

If it is the main seal leaking, just buy oil by the case on sale, keep a couple of quarts in the back, and park over a drip pan. Should you decide to keep it then wait until it needs something else, like moor mounts or a transmission overhaul and do the seal at the same time.

 

[XploreAlaska]

a gallon of decent oil costs more than a main seal (they cost about 12-13 dollars)

 

[Four0Sport]

while youre checking stuff.. grab a socket and check the bolts holding the valve covers down. over time the gasket gets smashed and deformed and sometimes tightening the covers will temporarily stop the flow of oil until you can get the gaskets replaced, bc its not easy. my valve cover gaskets are leaking pretty steadily, down the back of the motor, all over the manifolds, all over the starter, down the sides of the heads. when you do replace look over your covers and make sure they arent rusted through, one of mine is rusted around the center bolt. in fact i should be getting a ups package today from kbabiak, new valve covers!

 

[boggs1227]

gaskets......

i have used in the past stuff called "gasket varnish" to do fluid area seals.
this stuff comes in a small brown bottle and can be found at most auto parts stores.when you put it on you apply it to both side of the gasket ...then apply it to the pre cleaned mateing surfaces ....then put the gasket on or valve cover ( etc...) then sung it down with the bolts then let it sit for a little while ( maybe 10-15 minutes) then tighten them down to their correct specs,then i useally give it a day to fully dry and cure.

...this stuff is so good i have used it to rebuild the transmission in my snapper rideing mower .you know a mower experiances a LOT of vibrations while on the lawn and it has yet to leak .........good stuff to do valve cover gaskets with .

 

[Four0Sport]

i used indian head gasket shellac on my rear diff gasket and im afraid of taking it back off. that stuff cures very very well. deffinetly clean both the mating surfaces of the gasket very well with a scraper or gasket remover

 

[jumpn4jesus]

yes... ( also your clutch don't slip with that much oil slinging around in thre ?? )you know since you already done your clutch that the manual tranmissions are not quite as bulky and as big as the automatics ...so you got that going for you unlike me a others with
a4ld's.

No, it's not slipping. I went offroad and I was in 4hi the whole time...DUMB! I hit a hole and got stuck. After that if was slipping unless it was in lo. That was on july 4th. No slipping after I replaced it. I find myself stepping on the gas periodically to make sure it's not slipping!

 

[boggs1227]

thats the name of that stuff ... could not remeber the name of it for the life of me.

 

[Four0Sport]

its good stuff, been around for ages. i think indians actually invented it, thats how old it is j/j