Should I put RTV on the rear main seal?

[masospaghetti]

Should I put RTV on the rear main seal, or install it with a bit of motor oil? (or something else)

 

[SoNic67]

The shaft spins inside the seal. RTV will not stay in place.

 

[Bustedback]

My rule of thumb is if it didn't come from the factory with RTV, I don't use RTV.

 

[deweyville65]

Should I put RTV on the rear main seal, or install it with a bit of motor oil? (or something else)

OK to use RTV on the outside (block) side of the seal, actually a good idea. Use oil on the sealing lip on the inside (crankshaft) side.

 

[masospaghetti]

Yeah I meant RTV on the outer (fixed) surface.

I put one in about a week ago and it leaked pretty bad. It was from the outer surface of the seal, trying to figure out why. Thanks for the replies.

 

[deweyville65]

Not trying to be a smartass here, but, be sure the seal is installed properly. Sealing lip looks to the inside.

 

[masospaghetti]

Well, I tried my first rear main seal dry, second with RTV. Both leaked like crazy. Yes, its oriented in the right direction. The first seal was leaking from either between the sleeve and seal (the sliding surface) or the external bore of the seal, couldn't tell which. The sleeve bore was not leaking. The second seal is still installed, so I'm not sure where it's leaking from.

I am using a small metal disc with two holes drilled in it to install the seal, similar to the pipe plug seen in other threads. I have been installing the seal and sleeve together as a unit. Felpro brand seal.

1) Should I install the seal first, then the sleeve?
2) Should I not use the pipe plug method of squeezing the seal on?
3) Should I get the genuine Ford part?

 

[deweyville65]

Please explain what you mean by sleeve. Are you using a 'speedy sleeve' on the crank because of a groove in the crank? If yes, did you put some sort of sealant inside the speedy sleeve?

 

[masospaghetti]

Yeah, the "repair sleeve" included with the seal kit.

I wouldn't have used one because the crank doesn't look bad, but there was one already installed by the PO so I had to replace it, since removing and reinstalling the sleeve gouges the crank. I used RTV on the inside of the sleeve.

The first time I did this, I used loctite on the inside of the sleeve. This is the part I've used both times, Felpro brand from NAPA: