The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop rear main still leaking

As most of you know I finishec the frame up restauration and 99 % of the work is the way I hoped.
Two problems drive me nuts.
1) Rear main still leak. After the 3rd neoprene lip seal and the help from a mechanic. The truck still marks his teritory. Next step is the treaded rope seal.
Some body asked me if there is by any chance a missing or loose oil plug on the rear end of the block. My memory failed me and I don;t remember a ny plugs or openings. Yes I put all the bolts into the bell housing. Any bright ideas??????????

2) the little connecting rod from the wiper to the vacum motor keeps popping of the little ball joint.
Did I miss a retaining clip or is that sucker worn out and if so can I get new ball joints.

from all I've heard the blocks that were designed for a rope seal rarely wind up working w/ the neoprene seal - try the rope, works well usually, at least for a time - remember these are pretty low tech machines that require constant regasketing to stay [somewhat] dry - my 235 and older 283's worked fine w/ the rope seal

can't help w/ the wiper prob

Bill

Fritz,

Based on my personal experience here in Brazil, where we have just no option on rubber seals, most of the engines that are supposed to run with a rope rear seal ends up usning them.
It is possible to use the rope, and live dry with it. I have succes many times, but it is a somewhat tricky task. The best rope available was one we could for as long time buy at chevy dealers, it had a very small and thin red hair in the ends. They were supposed to be imported from somewhere and after sometime they just disappeared. These red hair ropes were easier to install and normally did not leak for a long long time. They were supposed to have asbestos. But I also used the regular graphite impregnated rope also having very good results.
We used to have Mopar 318 here in Darts for a long time,all they came with rope from factory. But I use to assemble them using rubber seals and always a good result.
Some tips: 1- always have the retainer groove completely clean and use a rtv bead where they contact the block,
2- always use a small amount of rtv to help seal the rear main cap to the block.
3- don't forget to wet the seal contact surface to the shaft, or you may fry it on the initial start up.
4- do not wet the halves contact point, the place in which the 2 halves go togheter.

Wish You ggod luck in the process, I see many fellows here prefer the rope type, and yesterday night I assembled a 261 for the first time using a rubber type seal that a fellow bolter send me sometime ago and I was saving for a special ocasion. I have always a good time when swapping from rope to rubber. And I have done it on 318 and hope to have the same luck on the 261. No suggestion on the wiper rod also.

squeeze

The best part of working on these low tech engines is that they do offer us great margin to improve them. As I stated before, I love swapping the rope with rubber seals and always got nice results. Got a big service here for a museun of the Brasilian Transport Memory Foundation, and the owner/responsible for the vehicles asked me to improve 2 engines they have on cars that are supposed to go to external activities and oil leaks are always a problem. They use a 261 and the other has an early flathead 60 horses model.
The 261 was real easy, a complete overhaul, a li'l more compression, better cam and headders. The engine was assembled using a rubber seal.
The flathead was machined to accept both front and rear new one piece retainers. This engine has an aluminum oil pan that was welded and then machined to make a adequated saddle for the retainer. A lot of machine work, but the results are in to be worthwhile. And I'm really anxious to have them both running soon! The flathead has an unique ArDun style conversios heads available only in Brazil for a short period of time and it looks really nice and powerfull.

fritz as for your Wiper problem there is a retainer that connects to both post on the wiper motor. It has two retianing clips held together with a spring. You can get this at anyone of the major venders. Also I think one of the venders sells the rubber insert that you go into the end of the wiper rod. I didn't know this, at the time, so I made my own out of an old wheel cylinder rubber cup and my dremel tool.

Good luck

Fritz: The "rope" type gasket is designed to swell up when it is soaked with oil. When the crankshaft lies on either the rope or neoprene gasket, it tends to flatten it out and then it will dry somewhat. When you start the motor after it has been sitting for extended periods (months), it can "polish" and glaze the dried rope gasket of the neoprene will not bounce back and then it will start to leak a little. With the rope type, this usually goes away after a few days of operation after it has been drenched in oil again and starts to swell up and close the gaps. Bottom line: oil spots are part of the mystique and kharma of owing old trucks. Even museum pieces leak...just look under them. I think you may be able to close any gaps (created when the crank was ground on the rebuild?) with rope better than with rubber since neoprene is cast to a size and the rope is intended to swell and fit.

On the wiper motor question: On the end of the wiper motor "on/off" arm, is a small rubber grommet with a bulbous end that holds it in the hole on the end of the arm. That bulb end is probably dry rotted and/or gone or the hole is elongated from being dried out. You can buy new rubber for the wiper from Carter and the usual suspects and I think you will find that replacing the grommets will cure the problem. Also make sure that the wiper switch transmission arm (the one that keeps falling out) is straight and properly aligned so as prevent it from tweaking and twisting out naturally when you turn it on and off. Also, you will find that RainX will eliminate the need for any wiper function at all!

Thanks guys

One more time under the truck an I will use a rope seal. I have the tool and the seal. Wish me luck.

About the wiper arm. It is the connection between the driverside wiper and the flat plate on the wiper motor which actuates both wipers.

Yes I know Rainex and yes it works well. But I am the kind of guy I want all to work the way it was ment to work..

Fritz: Then refer to info from Brian Moore is spot on

Fritz,
according to my sources,in the days of the older 216s with shimmed mains, they used to adjust the clearance on the rear main as part of the seal repair. What this tells me is that if the clearance on the rear main is a little too much, it will be hard to control the oil leak. Did you record your clearances during your rebuild ?

truknix
no I did not record the clearenc before I started the rebuild. I am learning as I go, Never done that before. I used platic gage after rebuild and it is in tolerance.
You know how it is.
Expirience gained is proportional to equipment ruined.

I will see if I have time to replace the seal with a rope seal. I am planing to drive to Victoria BCritish Columbia on my holiday.
Might need some carefull inspection of my oil supply.

Fritz,
well it certainly is a beautiful truck. I wouldn't be complaining if you were to leave it in my driveway for a while!