buick man Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 Yes you can remove the flex plate. Yes loosen the mains starting at the front and increasing the drop amount sightly as you drop the other mains working back to the rear main. Make sure to support the crank with a cross brace just in front of the rear main. Take the rear main off and you should then have ample room to replace the upper seal. Make sure you have the proper tool to catch and pull old and to install the new upper seal. Either start a new thread or take pictures of what you did and post them here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 On 2/5/2013 at 6:13 PM, buick5563 said: You are crazy! That guy knows what he is doing, is good with tools, is just freaking hilarious to be around and is exceptionally good looking. just sayin ' Is his first name Donald? Sorry, I didn't look at the pix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 I see that the links to the pictures no longer work after forum upgrades. It is on my website too: http://www.buickrestorer.com/rearseal/rearseal.html Do not replace the upper rope seal if intact. The method outlined on the website works! Also do not over-tighten the belts..that has the effect of raising the crankshaft at the front and lowering at the rear just enough for it to leak or if leak free duplicate the tightness if belts are removed or loosened. Willie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemon Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 18 hours ago, buick5563 said: I just installed an engine with one of the modern seals in it for a customer. I now get to remove that seal and install the proper rope seal due to a horrific leak. Yay, new technology? If I remember correctly, the older, smaller Nailheads don't have machined surfaces where the seals fit so using the rubber style seals don't seat very well. In any case, my rear seal was replaced during rebuild with a rope seal and it leaked like crazy. I stopped being cheap and bought the Valvoline VR-1 racing oil with high zinc formula and the leak went away. There was a thread a while ago discussing different oils to use and I think it's really interesting that the more synthetic you go, the more these old engines tend to weep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 I may be all wet here (pun intended) but I'm thinking that as the oil gets dirty from use it tends to plug up the fibers in the rope seal and helps with leakage.........Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1956century Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 The car is parked in such a way that working on the engine is not convenient. It seems there is no benefit to removing the flywheel to replace the seal when using WIllie's method, so I will finish sealing up the Dynaflow and turn the car around to do the front/rear seals as well as the oil pan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buick man Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 (edited) …. but after all these years is the upper seal indeed intact and good to go … ? Edited June 18, 2016 by buick man (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 On 6/16/2016 at 11:10 AM, old-tank said: Also do not over-tighten the belts..that has the effect of raising the crankshaft at the front and lowering at the rear just enough for it to leak or if leak free duplicate the tightness if belts are removed or loosened. Willie Doing so will ALSO reduce wear on the lower half of the front main bearing, too. My machine shop operative mentioned (years ago) of a Chevy V-8 he was rebuilding, the lower main bearing half was "new" and the upper half was significantly worn. NTX5467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 On 6/16/2016 at 1:38 PM, Beemon said: I stopped being cheap and bought the Valvoline VR-1 racing oil with high zinc formula and the leak went away. There was a thread a while ago discussing different oils to use and I think it's really interesting that the more synthetic you go, the more these old engines tend to weep. It's NOT just syn-oriented motor oils, it can also be the brand and formulation of "dino" oils, too. In the late 1980s, a friend put a popular "3 letter" oil in his Super Bee engine. The valve covers leaked and he sought ways to stop that leak (including "straightening" them). When we went to another brand of "ask for" oil, the leak stopped. I questioned that with my machine shop operative (who bought oil by the case by whatever was on sale at the auto supply when he bought it). He had noticed that his Chevy pickup valve cover seeped more with some brands of oil than with others. The "ask for" motor oil was on that would dry-up a seeping valve cover situation, he'd noticed. Now, do you want a motor oil that "gets into the nooks and crannies of an engine" better than one which might not? Be that as it may, somewhere there's a happy medium in that respect (lighter factions vs heavier factions of the oil formulation) Some rubber/cork gaskets seem to have worse "wick-ability" than others. I'd used that "three letter" oil in my cars and had no seep issues. Especially after I started putting a light coat of black silicone on the rubber/cork gaskets prior to assembly. In some respects, a seep or evidence of such, is a "given" on many older engines. As long as it doesn't drip, I'd call it "good". When it has seeped enough, over 60+ thousand miles or so, to "trail" back on the underside of the car . . . that's "rust protection". If it "hits the floor" AND "trails back", THAT might need some attention. One of our former service managers bought a dealership in a small town nearby. An older car group was having a nightly stop in that town and one of his customers asked if they could park in the service department overnight (rather at the local motel). He gladly allowed that. Later he commented, "One thing about it, all of those old cars leaked oil." Kind of like he (as a former mechanic, racer, and such) expected it to some extent, but then it was HIS floor they leaked on. He didn't complain, just smiled, and went on. His contribution to the old car hobby and the enjoyment thereof. NTX5467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithbrother Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 NTX5467 You mentioned SUPER BEE, is that like FORMULA SUPER VEE? I ran FORMULA VEES, in the 60's. No Super's though. Dale in Indy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 I think he is talking about the Dodge Super Bees. Most of them were Yellow with Black stripes and a Super Bee decal on the rear quarter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 (edited) Yes, Super BEE, as in "Dodge Super Bee". The one Bill has attached above actually is "Butterscotch" in color and has the optional side scoops on the quarter panels. Plus the optional vinyl roof. Somewhere along the line, there was a "Super Bee" cartoon bee. In the middle 1970s, a friend in college had a medium green Super Bee and a red tool box with the "bee" logo on it (trademarked). I'm not sure of the color distribution for Super Bees specifically, but I don't recall any colors being specific to that model. No doubt, that information does exist somewhere. Enjoy! NTX5467 Edited June 20, 2016 by NTX5467 (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now