Hmmm... so what you're saying is:
1. Remove timing chain cover
2. Remove timing chain assembly
3. Remove caps from 8 rods
4. Remove 5 main caps, which includes 3 cross-bolted caps that are a big PITA to get to come out cuz they fit tightly in the block
5. Remove seal retainer
6. Remove crankshaft
7. Replace seal
8. Reassemble everything listed above

OR:
1. Purchase an extremely expensive (overpriced?) 1-piece seal
2. Remove seal retainer
3. Replace seal
4. Install seal retainer

IF people are having good results using the 1-piece seal, the cost is far less of a factor than the level of effort to pull the crank.

This dude wins the Internet for today^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Well done and said sir. I went to never having leaks in about 20 years of building them to 1 in 4 or about 25% chance of a goddamn leaker. Im also starting to hate building bigblocks for this reason. Which sucks because I really love big blocks. J.Rob

Brad if you found my thread you would see why I was almost suicidal.

If that one piece seal works then it is NOT overpriced.

The billet retainers are complete junk and are overpriced because they don't address the issue which is alignment.

Clock the seals at 12 and 6 o'clock, hog out retainer bolt holes to allow the retainer to float and index on the seal. Bolt down the retainer. Get a new sealant nozzle and cut tip very small--Jam tube tip in retainer side hole and squeeze. It will fill. J.Rob

Just add me to the list of guys who went from never having one leak a drop in around 20 years(and not doing anything special to get those results), to now having to pray to the dry seal Gods and hoping I'm heard.

I agree - I used to be able to change a rear main seal & put new bearings in while under the car and never have it leak - now its like you have to assemble it like your building something for NASA!

I have at least one, possibly two, OEM seal retainers. The one I know for sure I have had the cap trimmed a bit to improve the fit (per Muscle Motors' old recommendation). That's the one I removed from my last build. I used a 2-piece Viton seal, the orange side seals (which did NOT want to slide in worth a bleep), and plenty of sealant. And to be honest, I can't recall if that one leaked or not. If it did, that was the least of my worries when I yanked the engine back out.

Then I saw the the Indy billet retainers w/ the o-ring side seals and bought one. Before I ever tried it, I saw posts from people saying those weren't working well. Still got that one in the box. Crap.

Then I saw the Mancini billet retainer, which appeared to be an improved version of the ICH part. And, some folks on here like Andy said they'd had good results with them. I bought one for the RB 452 build we just dynoed, and a 2nd one for the backup RB 451 short block I've been collecting parts for. I remember comparing the ICH w/ the Mancini retainers and thinking "something" about the ICH looked "wrong" in comparison (even took some pictures that are around somewhere).

Now I hear that the Mancini retainers aren't working as advertised... and all I know right at the moment is that I used one w/ this build and it's leaking. Crap, part deux.

I haven't made ANY decisions on what approach I'll take when I pull off the pan to see what's going on. But it's pretty obvious I find the idea of having to pull the crank back out to be on the verge of unacceptable.

So... I'll keep reading people's feedback & suggestions (and will dig up Jesse's suicidal rant from his experience) and go from there. And I'll post the results -- good or bad -- when the engine's back in the car and running again. Thanks - Brad

I've actually had decent results with both the Indy retainer(and there have been a few variations of it), and the Mancini retainer.

I had one of the Indy ones leak while I was priming the motor(yeh, I was thrilled with that).

I ended up grinding some channels in it where it was next to the main cap, to give the oil that collects around the seal a place to go.
I also had a normal black seal in it at first, then swapped to the orange seal.

In that instance......those changes worked.

Have any of you guys experienced a rear main leak after changing to full synthetic oil ? I have had this happen in a low mileage 351 Ford engine. I switched back to conventional oil and the leak has all but completely stopped !
I had a perfect record on my BBM rear seals using the stock retainer and sealing the sides with silicone. MY Hemi has been sitting for two years now, and when I recently started it for some testing it looks like the main is leaking! I have to investigate further to see for sure. It had never leaked before, and I have switched oil weight and brands.
Mark

Yep;

I guess I would buy the 79 dollar seal as well. This leaking stuff drives me nuts because these engines we build don’t leak when the cheap seals with stock retainers are used if the seals are aligned properly.

Just went through this myself.. I "had" a 440 source retainer on my 520 stroker. It leaked bad. I tried all the suggestions on here. Indexed seal halves in different spots, rtv in all the right places, main stud clearance, cut a oil drain path in the retainer. Still leaked. I took that thing off and tossed it in my scrap pile. I pulled out an old crusty factory 400 retainer, cleaned it up put it in and no leaks. I called Jim Hale up and he told me he never had any luck with those billet pieces..

I'm glad to hear that Jim Hale is still with us, THANKS for the info

Yeah no problem. I have to say he is a good guy. He has always been more than willing to help me out. And it's always been fun for me to visit and check out his projects. I look up to him and it's to bad these guys won't be around for ever..

I have the Mancini retainer and zero drips

I just did a friends 383 stroker this past summer on my back with the engine in the car

I clock the black fel pro seals at 12 and 6 around the crank and then I install the Mancini retainer dry using the alignment studs that where supplied then I mark the block and retainer and see how everything looks

Leave the alignment studs in place and pull the retainer back off

Then install the side o rings and black rtv down the sides in between the o rings and a dap on each top corner of retainer

Slide the retainer back over the alignment studs , clean up the excess black rtv

Pull the alignment studs out , install the factory bolts and torque them down making sure your previous marks line up still on retainer and block

Let dry 24 hours

If it still has a small leak, it is still leaking. Synthetic oil just has higher capillary action and will find and display leaks to a higher extent. It will not cause leaks. You still need to fix the leak.

Hughes engine has there own instructions

http://www.hughesengines.com/Upload/prod...onsJune2006.pdf

Put my 432 together

I mocked up both the Mancini Retainer and Factory Retainer

Just slid them both over the alignment studs for reference to see where I was at with alignment of the seals at parting line

First the slop in the factory retainer , or movement back and forth over the studs was way way way worse with the factory piece then with the Mancini piece

Anyways both retainers in short needed to bee pushed towards the inside of block for proper alignment

Got everything marked up top

nice pics!thx.

Ok I know this is NOT the way we wish it would go, but if it is a slow leak and you can come to terms with this "fix" it is something to consider. I made a sheet metal cover that bolts to the inspection plate holes on the bottom of the bell housing. Goes up about an inch upwards and turns 90 degs runs back along the bottom of the bell housing 3 inches. It holds a pig mat folded over about 3/4 inch thick with the bolts going through the pig mat. Change it once a season. Not ideal but after chasing your tail for weeks,it starts to look pretty attractive.

Finally !!!!!!!

I have never had a rear main seal leak when I have aligned the seal retainer with the crank out. It's nice to see someone else does it this way as well..

I did the same thing!!!wow how funny.