Front seal

[jlfuksa]

I think I have small seep in the front of my 350..just going from the blow back of oil and where it has puddled a little bit in the cross frame channel...has anyone replaced this seal without pulling the engine??

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[gpmorgan]

Both front and rear seals can be replaced with engine in truck.

 

[jlfuksa]

Ok that's great news, I'm no mechanic so this may be a dumb question, but do I have to drain the oil before I change it out

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[gpmorgan]

This will be a pretty tough job if you have no mechanical experience.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

DO NOT HAMMER the balancer back on. Spend the few dollars and get the installation tool or rent from a parts store. And be careful poking around the crank snout, you don't want to damage the surface and end up with a worse leak then you got now. Also check your crank case breather system for proper operation defective PCV can wreak havoc on seals.

 

[jlfuksa]

It's been 10+ years since I've owned a carburated vehicle, insert another dumb question.. I've never had a breather cap, just always been standard oil cap on cover....is there any advantage to the breather? This 350 is no hotrod, if I get seal changed, pcv valve replaced, would it be better to just go back with standard cap n ditch the breather?

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[MikeB]

With a PCV valve, you need somewhere to draw fresh air from into the crankcase. So, the valve cover on the other side will need an old school breather or a hose running from a valve cover hose nipple to a filter like this inside a stock air cleaner.

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Even some aftermarket chrome air cleaners have a breather hose nipple on the bottom of the base.

 

[Georgeb]

Before you go doing a whole bunch of work take a can of brake cleaner and wash the area of the seal and front of the pan off good then drive it a few times and try to determine the location of the leak. Also check that the oil pan bolts are snug but not too tight. No more than 8 Lbft.

 

[Jerry phillion]

Do as MIKE B. Says. Remember, an engine is an air pump.
Your engine has to breathe like your body does. Air in and air out. If it can't', it builds oily crankcase pressure, which has to go someplace, So it goes out past the seals and gets on outside of
Engine. Your seals may be O K.