The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 216 rear main bearing seal leak??

I'm rebuilding a 1935 chevy 216. It has new everything! I just put it together, cranked the oil pump to get oil to the lifters, and out comes oil from the rear main. (I had NAPA do the machining to crank and install bearings. He said no main bearing seal was used in these old engines). Well---I have oil comming out of the rear main. Any clues as to what went wrong?? I need help!! Thanks, Wayne

HE SAID WHAT!!!
Of course there's a rear main seal! The original was a rope seal although there's a neoprene seal available. I've had no experience with the neoprene seal--installing either is difficult but not impossible with the engine installed. Getting the top half out and in is the problem--of course, you don't have to remove one!! Have you considered a different machine shop?? :rolleyes:

Unless the '35 is different in a big way from the 216 in my '52, then it's gotta have a seal back there. What's gonna keep the oil from coming out?

If you have a gasket kit, check and see if you can find two pieces of wick (they call it "rope") about the size of a pencil. One piece fits in a groove in the top, up in the engine block, and the other is for the main bearing cap.

It still might leak a tiny bit with the rope seal, but it certainly shouldn't gush out. I'd say a drop or two every time you shut her down is pretty normal. Look for an old timer who's an expert with 216 if you want ZERO leak with the rope seal, because it takes some skill to make it totally leakproof.

Well gee, if oil is gushing out, I am pretty certain something should be there to prevent it. Langdon's stovebolt company sells the original rope seals (the kind with asbestos). He can also advise you on your problem (though I think the only problem is the guy giving you advice). http://www.stoveboltengineco.com/

Hold on there fellows. If it's a 35 it's a 206 and I don't believe they had seals. Just an oil slinger on the crank.

Forgot to add, also the 37-39 216's used the same setup I believe.

thats right no rear main seal up to 39
theres a link where a machine shop
offers a full circle rear main seal for this
engine.
If it ever needs replaced the flywheel can be simply removed and a new full circle seal replaced
without doing anything else.
do not have to remove pan or anything.
If you send your block to him he will
machine and offer this seal for all 216 and 235's
sounds like a good deal to me if a person is
doing a rebuild anyway ????
Mike

So they just intended for those old engines to spew oil straight from the factory? I don't doubt it, but seems awfully strange.

Even though oil is comming out by spinning the oil pump does not mean it will when it is running. That engine(206ci) uses a oil slinger so when running it should not. If the mains are set to loose you will also get to much oil in this area.

Holly cow!! Thanks everybody for the response's. Maybe it is a 206, I hadn't heard of one! (Just getting into this rebuilding stuff). On the title it has the engine number, #T1835085. Also this engine came out of a 1938 1 1/2 ton truck. The title is for a 35. I called the NAPA machine shop and he said bring it in and he will look into it.Not sure what to do now! Guess I could start it and see if it leaks then. Please keep in touch and let me know if you have any other ideas! Thanks again!!!

216s were first used in 1937, so your 38 (if original engine) is a 216. Check for the casting date on the block, it's behind where the starter would hide. Also Chev did not start using a rear seal until 1940.

slim, tell me about the machining process to install a lip seal on a rear main 39 chevy 216