1999 Ranger 2.5L Manual Transmission

Hello, while attempting to replace the rear main seal on my ranger I made a big mistake x3. I drilled into the engine/housing/outer-edge around the rear main seal.

I was attempting to remove the seal using the technique where you drill holes and then shoot screws in. Then hold onto the screws with pliers and pry the rear main seal out.

After getting the seal out, I realized I drilled into the engine surface around the outer edge of the seal, in three places. It is worst at the top left. The two marks on the lower right are not as deep.

How bad did I screw myself? What should I do?

 

That shouldn't bother anything, you will need to smooth off the burs, course Emory cloth maybe, but be careful of the crank surface, you could put a dab of RTV in each blemish just before installing the new seal

The "seal" is on the crankshaft surface, the seals metal part is just a pressure fit and unlikely to leak oil, but just a heads up, I would get a "sleeved" main seal, this kit comes with a sleeve that fits tight over the crank surface and a slightly larger seal to ride on the smoother sleeve
Replacing rear main with just a new seal can leak again pretty quickly if the cranks surface is not super smooth
In either case put lube on the new seals "rubber" and crank/sleeve surface, so no DRY start as that will tear the new seal

 

Thank you RonD, that is a relief. I already have a bad oil pan gasket leak on my F250, I would hate to have my ranger start leaking.

I already bought Fel-Pro BS 40620 as the replacement seal (see photo), it looks just like the old one I removed.




I haven't found a kit online that comes with a repair sleeve. The closest sleeve I've found that looks like it might fit is Fel-Pro Repair Sleeve 16255-1.

I'm thinking this is what I need to order, 16255-1:
https://www.drivparts.com/part-detai...t_name=%7B2%7D
The shaft diameter dimension 3.625" seems match the interior of the seal I bought 40620 (I only have a tape measure, no caliper)

I'll buy some emory cloth unless sand paper would work (considering I'd be going for the repair sleeve).

I've got Permatex Ultra Black Gasket Maker on hand to fill in the drill marks under the repair sleeve.

 

Thank you RonD, that is a relief! I already have an F250 that is leaking a lot from the oil pan gasket, I would hate for my ranger to start leaking.

I've already bought Fel-Pro BS 40620 for the replacement seal, it looks just like the old one:


I haven't found any rear main seal kits that include a sleeve for this year/engine size Ranger. I could buy a crank sleeve on it's own such as Fel-Pro 16255-1, or Timken 5511-05214388, but then I expect my replacement rear main seal wouldn't fit because it is not oversized in the center. I haven't seen any oversized rear main seals for this Ranger. This is my first experience purchasing or trying to replace a rear main seal, so maybe I'm not using the right keywords when searching.

I'll inspect the crankshaft today for imperfections, to see if I can get away with using the current seal I have without an extra crankshaft sleeve.

I have Permatex Ultra Black Gasket Maker on hand I could use to fill in the drill mark blemishes before I install the new rear main seal.

I'll have to buy emory cloth, unless sandpaper would be ok for smoothing out the burrs or sharp edges on the drill mark blemishes, so that they don' cut into the rubber on the new seal.

 

The burs won't touch the seal part but could cause the metal part of the seal to deflect(bend) inwards which would effect the seal part so it's not perfectly round and won't seal

Not sure sand paper can remove metal burs

Run fingernail forward and back on crank surface to feel for a groove where old seal was in contact, if you feel one then you need a sleeve
Also feel around its surface for any scratches, if you can feel it with fingernail it will cause a leak, use a sleeve

If a sleeve is thin enough then regular size seal can be used, so if the sleeve is sold on its own its thin enough to use regular seal

 

I used a cottonswab to carefully rub emory paper (couldn't reach with my finger) over the blemishes, then I applied small dabs of black RTV.

I installed the new pilot bearing and rear main seal. Hopefully I did it right, photos attached. I rubbed 5w-30 oil on the inside of the seal. I'm hoping that helped it slide over the crankshaft without the lips folding over (This seal did not come with the plastic install tool). I can't see what happened on the inside, but it felt like it slid on smoothly enough.

The crank felt smooth and in good condition for the most part. I did not feel a groove from the old seal. There are some scratches and stains that you can't feel. There was a tiny nick I could feel with my fingernail, but it was hardly larger than a grain of sand. I took my chances and did not get a repair sleeve. I checked with my local autoparts store, they didn't have one in-stock. I'll be prepared to tear it down and redo in the near future if it ends up needing a sleeve.

Thanks again for the help!

 

Comparing those photos to another video I found online, I don't think I hammered the pilot bearing in far enough.

I'm currently trying to mate the transmission to the engine but I can't get them closer than 1.5".

I've tried every suggestion I could find online:
-moved electrical cables out of the way
-used the plastic clutch alignment tool when installing new clutch and pressure plate (alignment tool still fits, so I assume it is aligned)
-metal shield is aligned on the metal dowels
-truck is leveled out (I started with the front end high)
-tried jacking the transmission from the front, middle, back
-opened slave cylinder bleeder valve
-rotated the splines/shaft twice to try to help it line up better
-jacked up the engine to see if it would help it line up better

It looks to me like I didn't hammer the pilot bearing in far enough, but I doubt correcting that will align the engine/transmission and close the 1.5" gap. I also forgot to test the pilot bearing to verify that it mates with the input shaft, before I hammered it into the crank. The part number is the same as the old one though.

I've spent a few hours trying to mate the engine and transmission with no success. I'm about to tear it down and redo it unless anyone has other suggestions.

 

If the clutch disc alignment tool fits in the pilot bearing then the input shaft will


Yes, looks like it should go in a bit farther but maybe 1/2-3/4"

Installed image here: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...ring_crank.JPG

 

Sorry for the late response. You were right, I took it apart, pounded the pilot bearing in further, and was then able to mate the transmission to the engine.

The first time I tried to start it, I couldn't get it to start and the clutch pedal was very soft. I let some fluid out of the slave bleeder. I also attempted to bleed the master cylinder by using a vaccum handpump at 10psi in the clutch fluid reservoir hole. I didn't see many tiny bubbles come out, but it seemed to do the trick. I also lightly pumped the clutch pedal. Then repeated the bleeding process another time.

The clutch pedal then felt better and I was able to start the engine. I was able to drive it to work and back today.

From a dead stop though, taking off in 1st gear, it is consistently taking off extra slowly. To the point where it seems like it might stall out. Or leave me in dangerous situation as I try to pull out into moving traffic.

Also it seems a little noisy when I first start the engine and drive in 1st gear. It quiets down once I drive for a few minutes.

I can think of a mistake I likely made. I put white lithium grease on the throwout bearing where it meets the pressure plate fingers. I'm assuming this was a bad move because the bearing is supposed to use friction to spin with the pressure plate, not slide independently when against the fingers and spin at a different speed.

Or judging from this comment you previously made RonD, maybe I just need to bleed the clutch better:





Thanks for all the help.