Hey guys, just wondering if you reccomend i get my rear main done when i get a new clutch put in? Or is it a seal or shouldn't touch unless it leaks?

Just that question, thanks heaps.

I have in the three times I have had clutches done. (N13 Pulsar, U12 Pintara and XD Elantra)
Why pay for a job twice? Especially when its done >150,000km

I pull out third gen engines with over 400k on them and am yet to see a leaker

I changed mine once when i did the clutch and the new new one started to leak after 5 days.. Stupid thing, had to pull box off to change it again. I should of just left it. All Mits did was replace the part not the labour to refit.

ok thanks guys, champs

I've only ever done the seal at engine rebuild time. Only because a new seal is part of the gasket set. Never seen any signs of a leak, from Sigma motors to the 2.6L engines. Haven't done a 3.5L motor, but as above - they don't leak, so leave it alone.

Never ever seen one leak. Not one.

I have seen many many second gen with rear seals leaking both 4cyl and v6 but have yet to see a third gen one leaking.

Yeah surprisingly the oil leaks from everywhere else! Usually runs down and looks like a rear main but we have never done one here that I'm aware of.

Oil leaking from rocker covers always finds its way down to where the rear main is. It can also look like a leaking sump.

Son-in-law had a Suzuki Vitara which his mechanic said was leaking from the rear main seal. Wanted to charge him a fortune to replace it. He come down to me and we did it one day. Pulled the engine, I looked at the seal and said that it was fine, but since we had a new one, put it in. Then as we were about to refit the engine,I noticed a fine oil dribble coming donw from the distributor. Sure enough that was the oil leak. A new O ring and it was fine. So much for the mechanic...

Oil leaking from rocker covers always finds its way down to where the rear main is. It can also look like a leaking sump.

I think that must be my issue.... im gonna get my car checked again

Son-in-law had a Suzuki Vitara which his mechanic said was leaking from the rear main seal. Wanted to charge him a fortune to replace it. He come down to me and we did it one day. Pulled the engine, I looked at the seal and said that it was fine, but since we had a new one, put it in. Then as we were about to refit the engine,I noticed a fine oil dribble coming donw from the distributor. Sure enough that was the oil leak. A new O ring and it was fine. So much for the mechanic...

Reminds me of my second gen V6. Oil dribbling off the sump, main seal area of engine covered. Turned out the distributor housing was leaking, and oil was filling up the V of the engine banks, then running out the other side of the engine. lol
I think a lot of mechanics get blinded by dollar signs, $600 for a new main crank seal job versus maybe $100 for an oil seal replacement on a distributor. Us DIY guys don't have that problem. lol

I think that must be my issue.... im gonna get my car checked again

Depends how long it's left for.

If you degrease the whole engine, top and bottom, then drive the car for a short while, you will be able to see the little dribbles from where the oil is coming from.

well my mechanic tols me the leak was between the heads and the block which i asked about on here and was told the engine would be losing power if that was the case... when the guys do my clutch in a week or 2 im going to get everything redone, and the leak fixed whatever it is. Helloooo poorville

Hayden, is common for either the dist seal or the end cap seal to leak, oil runs down and gets trapped between the bell housing and the block eventually making its way down and running down out of the little drain hole on the base of the bell housing. Many will then think is the rear main as even after a clean and these bits being fixed you still get drips etc. This is because there is still oil in this area you can not get to in order to wash out due to the casting on the bell housing having some spaces in it around the area that is re inforced during casting, little hard to explain

ok, mine doesnt look like a rear main anyway, i think its rear rocker, thanks guys

ok, mine doesnt look like a rear main anyway, i think its rear rocker, thanks guys

Just wipe a finger along the joint of the rocker cover and head on the rear of the engine, soon tell you if that gasket is leaking.

If the rear main last so long and rarely leaks why is it recomended to get the front seal and camshaft weals done when doing the timing belt? Are they not the same?

If the rear main last so long and rarely leaks why is it recomended to get the front seal and camshaft weals done when doing the timing belt? Are they not the same?

I think that's more because the seals are $2 and it takes about 10 minutes to replace them. If you were to pull it all apart again, then that leaking seal will cost you $600 odd to repair.

If the rear main last so long and rarely leaks why is it recomended to get the front seal and camshaft weals done when doing the timing belt? Are they not the same?

Not the same at all. Where the rear main seal sits, is also where the flywheel or drive plate gets bolted on, and that end of the crank is huge. The seal is the biggest in the engine, absolutely huge!

For those interested...
1. my 240mm Hd clutch required no flywheel machining to fit. The mechanic said the only difference was in the pressure plate.

2. At 83,000 the rear main seal was weeping, so its getting replaced as we speak.

That is correct, the 240mm MBK7223 does not need to be machined, the MBK7420 Evo clutch does need this however

The rear seal weeping, I find this very hard to believe at this mileage, not saying is impossible but for an example the 300k old motor we just pulled out of a TJ about half an hour ago was bone dry

That is correct, the 240mm MBK7223 does not need to be machined, the MBK7420 Evo clutch does need this however

I see a lot that the fly needs to be machined, put is it possible for someone to post a photo of this?

That is correct, the 240mm MBK7223 does not need to be machined, the MBK7420 Evo clutch does need this however

The rear seal weeping, I find this very hard to believe at this mileage, not saying is impossible but for an example the 300k old motor we just pulled out of a TJ about half an hour ago was bone dry

When i went to brendan's house about a year ago his excedy HD 240mm was rubbing his flywheel, very weird. But mine is good so i don't mind!

Yeah they said the rear rocker cover is fine, between head and block is fine, but rear main and 2 other seals on the rear(side or whatever) of the engine were weeping, i found it odd too considering 90% of my cars life has been under a car cover in the garage, oh well it is what it is.

2 other seals, perhaps dist and thrust cap seal and guess where a lot of this oil goes, straight over the rear main seal once it has worked its way under the bell housing.... if in doubt replace it though as it would be a shame for them to be right and need to do this all again. Get them to get a GENUINE seal and not some cheap chinese crap as it will leak again

The 240mm clutch comes as the 7223 which is good for Magna and Galant/Legnum and the other number I listed is the Evo which is also the 240mm. Only the evo one requires the step machined but also needs other things done as well as the pressure plate sits out further by about 7mm and can touch the inside of the bell housing

Guessing they are genuine seals, its all getting replaced so hopefully will be fine!