Confirm my diagnosis: leaking oil pan gasket

[meatshieldchris]

Just recently bought what others thought was a beater ranger, and it turns out it's alot nicer.

When I bought the truck ('92 4x4 2.9L), I was told there was a leaking rear main seal. Oil appeared to be dripping from the right spot. Just took a closer look: it looks like there's a little gap between the bellhousing and the plate that's between the engine and bellhousing, to see what I assume is the back of the flywheel. The back of what I think is the flywheel is totally dry. I noticed most of the oil is accumulating on the oil pan side of the plate, near where the hump in the oil pan is for that end of the crank.

Can a rear main leak between the engine and the plate? Or will it usually leak into the bellhousing and leak on to the flywheel like I thought? My thought is that since the flywheel is dry, it's oil pan gasket.

There also looks like there's a rubber plug in the side of the bellhousing...any gotchas I should keep in mind if I pull that to take a closer look in the bellhousing?

 

[sfwjesse]

The rubber plug is just a view port to look at your pressure plate and slave cylinder (if its a manual tranny which i assume it is). That gap on the bottom was dripping oil on mine too. When i did my clutch i did the rear main as well....but it wasnt leaking. Its so hard to tell where the oil comes from on mine cause the whole oil pan gasket weeps or the bad valve cover gaskets were soaking the whole engine and tranny. I guess my point is.....it could be either one. Looking through that view port wont tell you anything though.