Click on image for the lowdown. 
====
| | | Forums66 Topics128,092 Posts1,056,040 Members48,433 | | Most Online14,466
Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
| | THANKS!
For helping keep this great
old truck web site
on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down
with Ads!  Again, thanks!
| | 
#54597 01/06/2006 7:57 PM | Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 6 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 6 | Bought a nice little 52 1/2 chevy....has been converted to a 54 235 engine.......runs great but leaks a fair amount of oil at the rear. pulled the pan off and the gasket is ok but not great...in a box of parts that came with it is a
new rear main seal and a sneaky pete(wire device
to change upper seal) I suspect they had intended to change it out. I have never atempted
to change that upper seal. The book says the crank needs to be dropped. Has any body had luck
changing that upper seal with out dropping the crank.
BHJ
| | |
#54598 01/06/2006 8:32 PM | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 | thsoldog, Today is the day for semantics...I think the directions mean "lower the crank/loosen the crank". This procedure does not mean "remove" the crank. I have done this procedure several times, and if done properly it will work. Tons of info is on the way..I can smell it!  Stu-pid | | |
#54599 01/06/2006 9:23 PM | Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,597 Riding in the Passing Lane | | Riding in the Passing Lane Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,597 | Ive fixed them by removeing the cap & pack the upper seal farther up in the groove & stuff in some material from the new seal. Replace the lower half of the seal in the cap.
They say money can't buy happiness. It can buy old Chevy trucks though. Same thing. 1972 Chevy c10 Cheyenne SuperIn the Gallery Forum | | |
#54600 01/06/2006 10:13 PM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | What I found with the "sneaky Pete" device was that it required more length of wick than what was available as spare. It is also a real pain to load. I tried out the procedure and then ended up lowering the crank. My problem was that I couldn't remove the upper half.
There is a Tech writeup on this and there are lots of threads. | | |
#54601 01/06/2006 10:31 PM | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 78 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 78 | I had the same problem. Bought the seal and the "sneaky pete". It took me about a year to get the guts to try it. After taking it a part I found a new style rubber lip seal "yahoo". I ran and bought one installed it and have been happy ever since. It seems that the early '54 235 used the rope seal and the later ones a rubber seal. Hopefully you have a later one.
Steve | | |
#54602 01/07/2006 3:40 AM | Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,953 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,953 | I replaced my 235 seal with a FelPro rubber lip style. The previous seal was also rubber and had gotten hard. For me I merely used a piece of thin wood dowel to push up on the upper end of the seal and the other side came out far enough for me to pull it out with long nose pliers. I did not have to loosen any of the main caps to 'drop' the crank.
When you install the new seal put it in so that the ends are not in line with the main cap. Something like about 1/4" in the groove and do the same with the main bearing cap. By offsetting the seal it makes the possibility of a leak a little less. | | |
#54603 01/07/2006 4:08 AM | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 | I think you can buy the neoprene seal to replace the rope seal. I did that on my father inlaws Ford with no problems. I didn't have to loosen the crank. To remove the old rope seal I took some small dowel rod and worked the end of the seal until it came loose. Then I rolled the crank over and the seal rolled out with it. Then just roll the new seal back in the same way. Should only take a couple of hours to do,
Scott | | |
#54604 01/07/2006 5:09 AM | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 | I vaguely remember someone mentioning that in order to go with the neoprene seal, the crank needs to be pulled and the seal installed in the conventional manner. It had to do with the fact the modern neoprene seal couldn't be made to "roll" into the groove without self mutilating.
Stuart | | |
#54605 01/07/2006 5:18 AM | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 | thsoldog,
Another thought. Don't forget it might not be the rear main at fault. The pan gasket, and especially the cork/rubber (?) strips that go over the main bearing caps are notorious leakers.
It has even been pointed out that it's even possible for the flywheel bolts to leak oil, as they actually go into the cavity behind the rear main seal. The pan gasket to little cork/rubber (?) strip junction takes some special finesse to achieve a oil tight seal.
Stuart | | |
#54606 01/07/2006 5:35 AM | Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,636 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,636 | My feeble memory could be wrong, but I think replacing the old rope seal with a neoprene seal may depend on how the block is machined where the seal resides.
(But I could be wrong) | | |
#54607 01/07/2006 10:05 PM | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,820 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,820 | thsoldog - Having done all of the things metioned here by the other 'Bolters, I would tend to agree with atomarc and check the flywheel bolts. They can leak and there could even be one missing which could cause a leak that could be misdiagnosed as a rear main seal leak. Personal experience speaks here! I also agree with Roy Rodgers, I believe the block has to be able to accept the neoprene seal. I would use rope. It never gets hard. Just my 4 sense. Joe 
"Truckin' Around .......... Since 1937!" My name is Joe and I am addicted to Classic Country Music. I just can't hep myself.Operators are standing by to take your calls! Now cruising in the Passing Lane | | |
#54608 01/07/2006 10:23 PM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | You can also follow the same procedure as in the manual for replacing the main bearings. This allows the crank to drop down some while still attached to the rods. Then there is plenty of room to deal with the seal. | | |
#54609 01/08/2006 3:39 AM | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 | The neoprene seal needs to be a replacement for the rope, not just any ole neoprene seal,
Scott | | |
#54610 01/09/2006 5:10 PM | Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 6 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 6 | Thanks guys.........I dropped the rear bearing cap and low and behold i've got the rubber lip seal....huraah... and it appears to be like new..
so I'm going to assume that pesky o'l pan gasket was the problem after all.
Does not appear the rope seal would inter change
with the neophrene.... differant groove set up.
52 & 70 chevy p/u's
BHJ
| | |
|
|
