keyboarddriver

How often do rear main seals fail? How highly recommended is it that I put in a new rear main seal while replacing the clutch?

I am in the middle of replacing my clutch and some how I ordered the wrong seal installation tool. This means another 2 weeks of waiting for the tool.

Edit: A guy I know with some mechanical experience recommended replacing the seal since I am right there. I have the replacement seal, but no tool.

s2000ellier

When it comes to the rear main seal, if it aint leaking don't replace it.

MM3Kwolik

On the many S2000's I've worked on, I've NEVER seen a rear main seal failure. And chances are you'd be more likely to cause damage getting the old one out and the new one in, causing the new one to fail/leak.

Again, if it's not leaking, leave it alone....

jimi

Billman suggested to me this may be a good idea while replacing the clutch.

Gotpepsi

I wouldn't touch the seal if its not leaking. My car has 96k no leaks. My other s2000 had 110,000k and no leaks.

keyboarddriver

Thanks for all the responses. I'm am going to skip the rear main seal and get the clutch job done and over with.

I also spoke with a family member that works as an automotive tech for a Dodge/Chrysler dealer ship and he said that over 25 years they have very rarely seen rear main seal issues. I figure if Dodge/Chrysler can figure out a main seal then I would say Honda has it covered and I shouldn't worry about it.

s2000maniac

193K miles and no leaks...

Needsmorepower!

I replaced mine I had just a hint of a leak 2006 65k miles.... what tool? I pulled the old one out with a pick tool, and then placed the new one in by using the old ones flat side as a level and tool to hit with a rubber mallet until seated. If its not leaking though, I wouldn't touch it.

austincrx

When I worked on Hondas (not many S2000's though) the rear main seal was ALWAYS replaced when doing a clutch job. Think of how much of a PITA it would be if you did all that work replacing the clutch, taking the tranny out, etc. and then 5000 miles later you noticed the lower potion of the area between the block and transmission housing was wet. Maybe the seal design is different from other honda engines (which I doubt because I have worked on many hondas made both before and after the S2000 came out), I would replace it.


P.S. It's not usually a failure fo the rear main seal that you see. The seal doesn't just start pouring fluid, it starts seaping fluid. the area around it gets wet, which means that the clutch is probably getting some fluid on it. Some people don't like this thought, thinking that their clutch will start slipping, but in reality it probably doesn't make a difference (probably because I've never done any real testing of this hypothesis).


my 2c


P.S.S. You can always use a small flat hammer and gently tap the seal into location by working across the seal, similar to how you tighten your lug nuts, you work on opposite sides, tapping a little bit on one side, then a little on the other, etc. The 'tool' is probably just a flat disk that is the same size or slightly larger than the seal. You could probably rummage around a junk yard and find something to be your 'tool' if you really wanted.

Billman250

Jimi 's car (who posted above) had a rear main seal let go and it cost him an engine. Or so it appears... I dont know what the first step of the failure was, but his rear main leaked all the way to the back of the car.

Of the countless clutch jobs I've done, I haven't seen a leak nor have I replaced the seal.

I would replace the seal on a high mile car, but only under these conditions:

You can safely remove the seal without scratching the delicate aluminum seal surface, or the delicate crankshaft surface.

You can put the new seal in, perfectly square, in its original distance.

You can put the seal in without distorting it in any way.

This is where a custom tool comes in handy.