Dave T

Has anyone had much success replacing the rear main seal on a 1955 Oldsmobile using the graphite type rope seals
with the motor in the car? I have the old seal out and was thinking of using a sneak peat to install the new seal. Do I have to
move the transmission back and drop the crankshaft or can I pull the seal while turning the motor by hand in the same direction that I am pulling.
any advice would be helpful Thanks Dave t

Tedd Thompson

You will have to drop the crank to get clearance for the seal. I don't remember having to do anything with the transmission though. Working around and getting the pan clear of the cross member can be a bitch. You will need to loosen the front mount and probably the rear transmission mounts and jack up the whole mess for clearance. While you are at it why not replace the rear main seal with a neoprene style. Easier and I feel there is a better success with he neoprene. Just my thoughts....Tedd

Dave T

Ted, Thanks for your input. I just had my motor rebuilt and a new 2 piece modern seal was installed, For some reason the new seal is leaking. So I thought I would go back to the original graphite type. Not sure if I should try another modern seal.

Ozzie

Page 8-16 of the 1955 Oldsmobile Shop Manual details rear main oil seal replacement with the crankshaft removed.
I once cured the rear seal leak by removing the rear bearing cap, carefully "repacking" the upper portion of the original seal and replacing the lower portion of the seal with a new one as shown in fig. 8-28.

442Harv

I repacked a real seal on a Chevy years ago. Took the bottom cap off, replaced the bottom seal, and took a small punch, taped the end, and was real careful, and pushed, some new rope up in the seal from both sides, solve my problem.