Need advice on replacing rear main

[Greasemagnet]

I have a 97 K1500 with 198,000 miles. I want to replace the rear main myself, I have an engine hoist, engine stand, transmission jack and all the other needed tools. The two important things I don't have much of is space in the garage and experience. Would it be easier to pull the engine or drop the tranny ? I was going to start it for my winter project.

 

[mtl111]

I would "drop" the transmission. Remove rear driveshaft, drain the transmission " good time to change the filter and fluid ", remove trans dipstick and lines, remove front driveshaft, disconnect any electical connections to the trans/transfer ,support the trans on a jack, remove transfer case crossmember bolts at the frame, remove bell housing bolts, remove torque convertor to flex plate bolts, slide transmission and transfer case as one unit back along frame rails. This should give you enough room to do what you need to. Some will say pull the engine, but I've found the way above is easier and faster.

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[Gramps]

Well of course it will be easier to do if you pull the engine, but if you go down that rabbit hole, it’s pretty easy to start doing a lot of things. I’d pull the trans back far enough to get at it, complete the task and get out.

 

[Greasemagnet]

Thanks.

 

[thinger2]

If its a winter project, do everything you can while you are down there.
Take your time, fix it all and be done with it for the next decade.
The more work it is to take it apart, the more work you should do while you're at it in order to keep from doing more work to fix the work you could have done when you started working on it.
Plus, rework seriously cuts into beer drinking time

 

[[email protected]]

Does the oil pan need to be dropped out to do the one pc rear main seal

 

[Supercharged111]

Does the oil pan need to be dropped out to do the one pc rear main seal

I'm pretty sure it has 3 cutouts to jam a screwdriver in there and pop out the old one. If not, you can shove drywall screws into it to have something to grip to yank it out of there. To drop the oil pan, the diff needs to go. I did mine under the truck with it on the ground and it sucked, but it's doable.

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

Does the oil pan need to be dropped out to do the one pc rear main seal

No

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[[email protected]]

Thanks saved me alot of work

 

[kenh]

DO NOT apply any lube/oil to the sealing lip of the seal. The shaft should also be dry. I oiled mine and then found the tiny piece of paper telling me NOT to do that. Talked to several people in the know and all sad to buy a new seal..I asked about cleaning up the old one and all said NO. It will leak.

I pulled my engine but I also needed to pull the heads to find where water was getting into a cylinder. If it had been one of the other I would have left the engine in the truck.

Ken