rear main seal advise please

Cougar Community Classic Cougar Maintenance Restoration and Repair
1

I’ve ready several posts and as much as I could find online. I’ve done this job once before on a 289 but the leak returned on that particular motor, sold that car.
this time it’s on a gen 1 302 and sure would love to get it to stop leaking in one try! The leak is a pretty steady drip so nothing I can live with that’s for sure.

pan is dropped and cap removed. Seal on cap was in there good but pulled out.
tried to tap other half of seal out with a punch But wouldn’t budge.
Gonna try again tomorrow after the drips settle down. It’s a rubber seal so not original rope seal.
questions are:

  1. Being that is so stuck in there I’m considering loosening a few other end caps on the crank. That’s safe as long as I
    re-torque?
  2. Bought fel pro performance seal. There is a tab on the seal (see attached pic) This is fel pro part number 2901 and for 68-80 302s. Old one doesn’t have this. Any issues with that seal? I don’t see how that will slid up on the top with that tab on there?
  3. The pin was already removed from the cap. Should I seal that with RTV from inside, outside, or both?
  4. I know to clock the seal so seams offset cap seam by 1/4” or so. Old seal was this way also.
  5. Small seal flange goes towards engine but do I only apply oil on that or entire seal. Don’t want it to spin
  6. Instructions on seal package state to tap crank forward and then backward. Can I do this while its in place? Is this necessary
  7. RTV by end of seals on cap but not on the ends of the seals correct?
    Any other tips or insight greatly appreciated!
    fel pro seal.jpeg
    fel pro seal.jpeg645×860 61.9 KB
2

I’ve done this with the engine in the car. It’s a tough job. You have to remove all the main caps. Then the upper half of the seal can be removed. Grease up the new one and install it at the same time. Be sure to grease the lower one before installing it.

3

And don’t forget to off set the seal. You should have at least 3/8’s” hanging out of the block. Then add you rtv. I have also used a screw on the old seal screw it in best you can then pull and the old seal should come out.
Oh and cut those tabs off

4

FYI. As this may help someone on a search later.
Replaced the rear main seal with a felpro that didn’t have the tab on it.
Still leaked.
Put dye in the system And used blacklight. Worked great and very easy to see where leaks are. The majority of my leak was a very very loose oil galley plug in the back of engine behind flex plate.
Pulled trans and sealed/torqued the plug.
Also had slight pan leak even with the one piece fel pro gasket. Likely aftermarket pan issue.
Very light amount of RTV on each side of gasket.
No more leaks.
Thanks for the replies.
Mark

5

Thanks for the follow up! It will help someone down the line…

R.B.

6

Great follow up!