m52 rear main seal

[polkadot_boxerman]

I'm trying to figure out which rear main seal I should order from pelican parts. Do I need the one with or without the tension spring?

[twistednut]

I am having a lot better luck with the one without the tension spring.

[Jand3rson]

The new seal design doesn't use a spring. While you're doing the rear main, I would also recommend installing one of these:



They're about $45 from Finditparts.com. It's called a Speedi Sleeve, it's made to repair wear over time and create a new sealing surface. It's not uncommon for people to replace their rear main and find it still leaks just as bad as before, if not worse. This installs over the end of the crankshaft end where the rear main rides, and is so thin that it keeps the same overall size, so a larger size seal isn't needed.

You can find a size and part number chart of SKF's website, just measure the width of your crankshaft seal surface and order the right one.

[328ijunkie]

I get bmws 'repair kit' for all my customer cars. Already has the better RMS pressed into a new housing and new bolts and a guide sleeve.

[Jand3rson]

Cool, I didn't know it came with a guide sleeve. The kit is great if you're buying it for customer cars and they're paying for it. But paying what they charge for a new housing is absolutely ludicrous to me. Cleaned mine up with a toothbrush and some mineral spirits, good as new. Getting the old seal out and putting the new one in took me all of 10 minutes.

[polkadot_boxerman]

Cool, I didn't know it came with a guide sleeve. The kit is great if you're buying it for customer cars and they're paying for it. But paying what they charge for a new housing is absolutely ludicrous to me. Cleaned mine up with a toothbrush and some mineral spirits, good as new. Getting the old seal out and putting the new one in took me all of 10 minutes.

so I need to order the seal with the tensioner? not the "updated" design that does not have a tension spring.

[Jand3rson]

No, you DO want the updated design that doesn't have a spring. It's a better seal.

[polkadot_boxerman]

No, you DO want the updated design that doesn't have a spring. It's a better seal.

cool thanks!

[samiam3356]

I get bmws 'repair kit' for all my customer cars. Already has the better RMS pressed into a new housing and new bolts and a guide sleeve.

This is the way to go for reasons stated by Anderson

[36brua]

I get bmws 'repair kit' for all my customer cars. Already has the better RMS pressed into a new housing and new bolts and a guide sleeve.

^ ^
what is a guide sleeve? only sleeve I can locate is for centering of drive shaft in trans thanks

[polkadot_boxerman]

^ ^
what is a guide sleeve? only sleeve I can locate is for centering of drive shaft in trans thanks

read post number 3

[36brua]

read post number 3

thnx the 'guide' part threw me