So I got a rebuild kit from Mancini and all was well until I went to put the rear main seal in. It's a Fel-Pro and there doesn't look to be any side seals for the rear main seal cap? Just a couple of funny lookin' pipe cleaner thingy's?

I went to Autozone and ordered the rear main seal by itself on the off chance that the side seals had been left out of the kit. Same deal. Little pipe cleaner thingy's for the sides?!? WTH?

Less than 8 years ago I recall little seals that you glued onto the sides of the aluminum cap that looked like balsa wood.

Am I missing something here??!

I think the idea is to use RTV in the side seal groves and then push the pipe cleaners in after installation to expand the RTV.

The rear main seal kit from MP that I got came with the side seals that you dip in mineral spirits/varasol/paint thinner then immediately install and torq the cap. The solvent makes the side seals expand rapidly. Only place it said to use rtv was where the top of the cap meets the block. So you could get an MP kit if you don't like the rtv idea.

That's a no-go now too...Mopar's seal kit comes with the orange "noodles" for the side and they're a SOB to get down so they are flush with the block at the bottom.
DAMHIK!! Leak city!!
That filling the side gap with RTV is nonsense to me too...pretty messy.
I looked eveywhere for the old style ones with the hard side seals, and it appears they're no longer being made.

I went to Carquest yesterday and they had a rope seal available that had the side seals so I ordered it. We'll see what the side "fillers" look like...

seen this too, apparently we're supposed to do it like sbc's now.....and like it! Last one I bought was 2 yrs ago (Felpro) and it still had the correct mopar stuff in it.

I just noticed the same thing when I was looking at my gasket set. I thought they left out the rear seal. Mancini sells different rear main seals. They even have the rubber seals for $12.95 it looks like.

The kit we sell comes with side seals. We also send some trick, detailed instructions on how to install it so there are no leaks. This can be a real pain in the butt on these big blocks if you don't do it right the first time. Kevin
http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/produ...mp;partid=10740

The so called "NOODLES" do work very well if you have a instruction sheet.

The idea is to install them with the seal retainer. The retainer should be clean and dry and the same goes for the side seals. Lubricate the side web of the block with oil on both sides and install with the retainer. The seals will grip the retainer and slide along the block surface as the retainer is placed in the block.

Here are some instructions. Never had a leak with these when installed properly.

Quote; No doubt! That's why I don't want the crap they're trying to push off on me. We really need to piss and moan at Fel-Pro about this!!

The orange silicone seals can be re used if they are not tore up. Just clean them with hot soapy water. Do not use any chemical cleaners or the seals may swell and deteriorate.

Did you try to install the 1st time like the instructions I posted?

I beleive the pipe cleaner seals are not actually the seal but are used as a catalyst of sorts. I've been told that the way it works is like this. You install the lip seal halves as normal and then run a bead of the sealant included in the package down each side groove. Install the cap and seals and then soak the "pipe cleaners" in water and insert them into the grooves with the sealant. The moisture in the "pipe cleaner" cures the sealant and completes the seal.

Isn't the BB seal and the slant the same? I read a little about the slant seal need to be oiled or greased if you aren't going to use it right away.

Also read about the RTV on the sides. I haven't started assembling it yet.

My kit isn't Felpro, I think it is Victor.

I got my Fel-Pro set from Muscle Motors. It didn't have any side seals so I called them and Mike said they just use silicone. So thats what I used. I can't imagine those pipe cleaners helping in any way, they're too short. If you use silicone, check to make sure there are no gaps between the retainer and the block when you get done. It takes quite a bit to totally fill the space.

If you fill that whole groove on each side with rtv, isn't that going to take a while to cure, plus how durable will that be...? I'd think the pipe cleaners would help hold everything together at least a bit.

I just looked at them again yesterday. They're no more than half as long as the groove. I don't like all that rtv either but without the original style seals I don't see any alternative.

If you are leary of using the new seal/sealant setup you can purchase one of the billet retainers like Mancini sells. They are have two groves machined for "O" ring material.

Here's a link to Mancini's offering.

http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/bilrearmains.html