Rear main seal 2000 explorer 302

[North Idaho 5.oh]

I’m currently re sealing the engine that’s going into my wife’s sport trac.
I’ve heard some people say it needs a shim/sleeve? Is this true?

 

[franklin2]

The seals on the rear main and the front harmonic balancer can wear grooves in the metal where the seal runs. So then a new seal will leak. If you have a groove where the seal runs, then they make speedi-sleeves that push over top and cover the grooved area. The sleeve is very thin and the seal tolerates the slightly larger diameter.

If the crank surface is smooth and the harmonic balancer surface is smooth, you do not need the sleeve.

 

[North Idaho 5.oh]

The seals on the rear main and the front harmonic balancer can wear grooves in the metal where the seal runs. So then a new seal will leak. If you have a groove where the seal runs, then they make speedi-sleeves that push over top and cover the grooved area. The sleeve is very thin and the seal tolerates the slightly larger diameter.

If the crank surface is smooth and the harmonic balancer surface is smooth, you do not need the sleeve.

Ok that makes sense to me. I’ll be looking into that today as a matter of fact. Where do you get the sleeve?

 

[franklin2]

I have seen a lot of rear main seal kits that automatically come with the sleeve. It's so common a problem, I guess they just include it. Hard to believe a rubber seal can eat into metal, but it must be dirt and grit involved in it too.

 

[North Idaho 5.oh]

Yeah that was my thought too considering where I’m from, lots of dirt and grit for sure. I also live down a 2 mile dirt road (my driveway)

 

[scotts90ranger]

Interesting, the rear main on my '98 Explorer is definitely leaking, I've never seen a seal come with a sleeve or even where to get those sleeves but am interested...

It's not likely the rubber as it is supposed to be that's the problem, after many years the seals get hard which is probably harder on the metal... but yeah, grit can't help...

 

[North Idaho 5.oh]

It’s definitely a weird one. I did a 302 in my ranger a few years back and didn’t do the rear main since it “looked ok” and wasn’t wet. It was actually dry as a bone!
Fast forward about a year and it started to leak a little. I pulled the transmission and installed a new rear main and it still leaks just as bad and no it’s not the valve covers or the oil pan or the pcv … that’s when I started hearing about the “sleeve”

 

[franklin2]

I went to Autozone and plugged in a 2000 explorer with 4wd and a 302. The sleeve came up as Felpro 16250. I did a google search on that and it came up on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Fel-Pro-16250-Repair-Sleeve/dp/B000C2C9TG?tag=959media-20

Autozone does say you need a installation tool for Felpro 16250.

I googled "installation tool for fel-pro 16250 and O reilly's came up with Fel-pro installation tool 16300. Ebay and Napa have it also.

Autozone lists the actual seal as Fel-pro BS40644. This number is more expensive, but it comes with the installation tool for the seal. These large seals can be more difficult to replace than you think. It's very easy to get them a little "wavy" when you install them and then they will leak. They have to be installed very evenly and straight on with the tool.

 

[North Idaho 5.oh]

I went to Autozone and plugged in a 2000 explorer with 4wd and a 302. The sleeve came up as Felpro 16250. I did a google search on that and it came up on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Fel-Pro-16250-Repair-Sleeve/dp/B000C2C9TG?tag=959media-20

Autozone does say you need a installation tool for Felpro 16250.

I googled "installation tool for fel-pro 16250 and O reilly's came up with Fel-pro installation tool 16300. Ebay and Napa have it also.

Autozone lists the actual seal as Fel-pro BS40644. This number is more expensive, but it comes with the installation tool for the seal. These large seals can be more difficult to replace than you think. It's very easy to get them a little "wavy" when you install them and then they will leak. They have to be installed very evenly and straight on with the tool.

I will definitely look into that for sure. The rear main looks dry on mine , but don’t want to take the chance