dana-dan, town vickys right.  i use a 1/4 inch drive socket thats thin walled as the bolts arent overly tight.  you may need to grind a 3/8 socket a little thinner in the wall to fit in the retainer holes to reach the bolts.

moz. geelong victoria australia.

graduate 1980, bus, truck, car, hot rod, boat, submarine, hovercraft, hydrafoil, firetruck, mobile home, jet, helicopter, cruise ship, motorcycle, bicycle, santa's sleigh, clock, alloy bullbar, alloy fuel tank, lens, dr who's tardis, matter - anti matter warp drive buffer & y-block lover

The factory RM seal bolts were 3/8 12 points you will need a 12 point socket to remove them

g'day ron

mate it sounds good to go dont skimp on the rtv sealer too much is better than not enough

moz. geelong victoria australia.

graduate 1980, bus, truck, car, hot rod, boat, submarine, hovercraft, hydrafoil, firetruck, mobile home, jet, helicopter, cruise ship, motorcycle, bicycle, santa's sleigh, clock, alloy bullbar, alloy fuel tank, lens, dr who's tardis, matter - anti matter warp drive buffer & y-block lover

Thanks Moz for the step by step instructions.  I'm going to order the seals from Best Gaskets (neoprene).  Got a new oil pan gasket coming from NAPA Auto Parts Friday.  I'll post when I get this thing fixed and let everyone know how it turned out.~~~~Ron

Still Livin In The 50's!!!  '55 Tudor Customline with a 312ci Merc/4-Speed/Granada Rear.

ron i forgot 312's dont have the nails the side seals fit in then the bolts go through them.

moz. geelong victoria australia.

graduate 1980, bus, truck, car, hot rod, boat, submarine, hovercraft, hydrafoil, firetruck, mobile home, jet, helicopter, cruise ship, motorcycle, bicycle, santa's sleigh, clock, alloy bullbar, alloy fuel tank, lens, dr who's tardis, matter - anti matter warp drive buffer & y-block lover

g,day ron

mate i didnt get your pm yet in my inbox the steps to  remove the retainer are fairly easy i will try to walk you through it

1 set engine on top dead centre on #1 cyl

2 undo pick up pipe at oil pump i also undo it where it goes in the pan

3 remove all pan bolts drop pan down & slide forward shouldnt need to raise engine

4 undo 2 bolts holding retainer work retainer forward & backward to remove

5 remove side seals  fit new side seals  aply rtv sealer to corners & sides of retainer  re fit bolts i put sealer around them as well   you should have 2 nails with the new seals fit them between the side seals & the retainer & carefully tap in with hammer  i also fill the holles that the bolts are in with sealer as insurance

6 refit pan & oil pipe.

fairly simple  if ive missed anything check teds post from a few days ago in this section.  parts suppliers i cant help you with but one of the nice guys on this site in the good old u s of a should be able too.

moz. geelong victoria australia.

graduate 1980, bus, truck, car, hot rod, boat, submarine, hovercraft, hydrafoil, firetruck, mobile home, jet, helicopter, cruise ship, motorcycle, bicycle, santa's sleigh, clock, alloy bullbar, alloy fuel tank, lens, dr who's tardis, matter - anti matter warp drive buffer & y-block lover

YEAH!!!!!  I did a search (replacing rear seal on 312') and found a site that shows closeups of the seal retainer installed in the block.  NOW........I understand how it can leak as the pan gasket does not cover this area. I would appreciate it if someone would walk me through step by step on replacing these side seals.  Do I have to replace the lower crank seal as well?

It feels good when the light finally comes on and you understand what everyone is talking about.  I might just as well order a rear main set and get all the parts I need.  Any suggestions as where to purchase???

Please...someone take the time to walk me through replacing these pieces. Thanks for everyone patience and understanding in this matter~~~~~~Ron 

Still Livin In The 50's!!!  '55 Tudor Customline with a 312ci Merc/4-Speed/Granada Rear.

Thanks Moz: It makes a little more sense now. But...........I still don't understand how the oil gets to the outside of the engine if the oil pan gasket is good and the crank rear seal is not leaking. Wouldn't the oil drip back into the pan and stay inside the engine? I sent you an email via this site asking more questions. Please let me know if you get it and respond A.S.A.P.

Thanks for your time and concern~~~~~~if others can shed more light on this subject telling me how to replace these side seals~~~~~~~feel free to jump in and inform me. Y-Blocks are a new challenge for me!!!!

Do I have to buy a complete rear main kit to get these side seals? If so.......where do I purchase the kit?~~~Ron

Still Livin In The 50's!!!  '55 Tudor Customline with a 312ci Merc/4-Speed/Granada Rear.

g'day ron

i can offer an explanation to what the other guys are saying.  a few months ago i broke my crankshaft.  in changing it i decided to fit a new rear main & side seals.  2 weeks later it started leaking oil out the back a large amount.  on inspection it was all on the outside of the cover.  i pulled the cover.  nothing on the drive plate ( its auto ) or coverter.  i cleaned it up. drove it.  i had a look.  same thing.  i pulled the pan off removed the retainer.  the rear main was dry.  no oil on it.  the side seals were soaked in oil.  i hadnt put enough rtv sealer on the retainer.  the oil ran down the inside of the side seals & onto the pan then onto the cover & outside of the pan hence nothing inside the bell housing as the inspection cover goes inside slightly higher than the pan & pan gasket.  makes it look like the back of the pan gasket is leaking.

moz. geelong victoria australia.

graduate 1980, bus, truck, car, hot rod, boat, submarine, hovercraft, hydrafoil, firetruck, mobile home, jet, helicopter, cruise ship, motorcycle, bicycle, santa's sleigh, clock, alloy bullbar, alloy fuel tank, lens, dr who's tardis, matter - anti matter warp drive buffer & y-block lover

The clutch inspection cover of a 3spd manual on a truck does not seal to the back of the engine block.  I'm not certain if it is the same with the others.  In this case the leaking side seal can look like an oil pan leak.  Also consider the oil galley plugs and the core plug behind the camshaft.  Is it dry around the oil filter?


Lawrenceville, GA