I replaced just the lower half of the rear main seal in my 216, sure slowed down the oil to a trickle. In fact, its only a couple of drips where ever I park. Oil is cheap, and at home, I just have a cookie sheet sitting where I park to match the drips. Also, you can get larger drip pans, like 3'x5', if you aren't an exact parker, or if your four speed drips out the back a little, like mine! That's where cookie sheet number two lives.
You can replace the whole seal, by letting all the mains go, and pulling the crank down a bit, but I was too chicken. I thought I might end up with the new seal half way in, and no farther. I have to drive the truck everyday during the week for work, and didn't want that to happen.
Why not just drive it for a while, and have some fun? If you are worried about a couple of drips enraging others, just wire a 9x9 cake pan under there to catch the drips.
