Rear Main Oil Leak

[Timo02]

I just had the rear main crank seal replaced by a local repair shop when at the same time they installed a new starter motor, and a 5-speed gear box.

Before this job was done there was a slight leak(a weeping) that would allow a drop or two of oil to hit the ground occasionally. The last time the rear main seal had been replaced was in December of '01.

At any rate now I get the car back from the shop, after all the work and the rear main seal had been replaced and now it leaks ONE H*LL OF A LOT, something like six inch diameter puddles after over night!?!

Besides a possible scoring of the rear main journal what are some of the other possible causes of this oil to leak to be increased after seal replacement and what can be done to fix this? Thanks in advance.

[polloelastico]

Ouch. Same thing happened to me. I had to replace the seal and put some RTV in there to make sure it wouldn't happen again. Sounds like it's time to pully that tranny again. Sorry.

[rho]

maybe the shop did not install the seal flush or straight...

I just did my seal after I took the cover off of the motor, while it was on a stand... even then it was more of a pain re-installing it than expected.

[Timo02]

Thanks polloelastico and rho for the replies. The car is back in the shop and I'm sure that they will get sealed correctly. This is one time I'm glad that I don't have to re-pull the tranny myself. Have a great weekend.

[TJs692002]

The seal was eather installed incorrectly or it is a defective seal. I have seen brand new rear mains leak the first time the motor runs after the new seal was installed. Sounds wierd but it does happen. You must have either of the two if not both situations. Sorry for the shop guy who has to do the labor for free now.

[Timo02]

Well the '02 has been back in the shop for over 6 business days now and they still have not fixed the leak. I have not been by the shop to see the car as they close before I can make to their location after work( it is about 40 miles away from my office).

I am now starting to doubt if they have even started on the job yet and today when I called them I was told that they are waiting to "get everything ready" i.e. the rear seal installed into a new rear cover?

IMHO this is getting more than a bit excessive as most other shops I've dealt with (on BMW's and brand-X cars as well) give return repair work top priority. When I first told them about the excessive oil leak, after I had had the car back for only two days, one of the shop owners told me that he has my number and will call me when he can fit me in?!? I called back the next day and spoke with the other owner and he told me to bring the car right down, which I did and it has been there ever since. Everytime I call in I reach only the one shop owner, the 1st one mentioned above.

At any rate I am seeking advice from you fellow '02ers on which way I should proceed from here: BAR/Dept of Consumer Affairs? I don't want to make threats or bad mouth this repair shop in anyway as they have done some good work for me in the past. However there are some basic facts that I simply can't ignore any longer: 1)they have my money, over $1,000.00 for all/other repair work done. 2)They have my car and it is still not fixed.

The original date I took the car into the shop was on 01/30/06. Yes I am taking into consideration that this is 35 year old vintage car and some parts may be hard to get a hold of however I still believe their slowness, poor communication and general lack of service is un-acceptable. All advice on this very welcome. Thank you.