oil leak between bellhousing and metal plate

[zeusmoto]

hey guys i havent leaked any oil for a while, today i noticed that i leaked a little bigger than a quarter, then i leaked again, there is this metal plate that slides on by the bellhousing, it looks as if there needs to be a gasket or something but, its weird i havent leaked oil there before, and all of a sudden i do... any ideas guys??? i also know that it stopped leaking and only leaks occasionally, any help would be greatly appreciated

thank you
zeus

 

[89MustangGX]

Sounds like it's probably the rear main seal. It's most likely leaking at the back of the engine and dripping down inside the bellhousing.

 

[blk92stangg]

I think your are referring to one some call blockplate, or starter index plate, or block saver plate, or who knows what else. Anyway, it sits right against the block, and most likely your rear seal is leaking. To change it, you would need to pull your transmission, and change the seal. Its a 12 dollar part, just a pain to get to.

 

[zeusmoto]

hard to fix??? and is it really serious? when you use the word main then i wonder if i should be driving it....

 

[89MustangGX]

hard to fix??? and is it really serious? when you use the word main then i wonder if i should be driving it....

No, not serious. Most all Fords end up leaking there for some reason. Keep an eye on it and maybe do somethign if it gets serious. If you ntoice a drip of oil once in a while -- I wouldn't worry.

 

[HISSIN50]

Adam is right on; it is the rear crank seal (in case 'rear main seal' does not mean much to you). as said, many of them leak, even after replacement. no biggie. one of those things i would replace if in there for another reason, but otherwise, if the drip does not bother ya, dont sweat it till you need to do something else in there. (my opinion).

 

[zeusmoto]

alrighty, also do you have any links to fix the leak. i hope i am explaining where it is correctly. i think i am it is like a sheetmetal plate that covers up the opening in the bellhousing, thanks a ton guys, and not the chage off the subject, but for $800 what would you do next to my car??

 

[drgn5.0]

it could be the oil pan seal and not the rear main as well, or possibly both.

 

[bmo37]

I have a theory on why they leak after replacement. Because many of us refuse to buy a 100 dollar seal installer tool to install a 6 dollar seal.

 

[blk92stangg]

I think you are right bmo. I pounded mine in gently with a block of wood and a hammer, but no matter how hard I tried, it was difficult to get it to go in evenly all the way around. Needless to say, it oozes oil like day-old road rash oozes pus.

 

[bmo37]

yeah I actually used and old valve and a hammer. Actually that valve installed alot of stuff for me, including oil gallery seals, cam plug, and that rear main seal. I think if u have a 5 or 6" piece of pipe it eases the install but its pretty hard to eye ball the correct spacing thats the seal needs to be from the block.