I'm sure I'm not this lucky but the rear main oil seal (crankshaft), it's a one piece, right? I've had a tiny little leak, not even a drip but it bothers me. If I could do it without removing the trans I probably would but I haven't seen anyone use a a two piece in a long time.

Thanks.

 

#4 here is the rear main seal



The gasket between it and the block is hondabond HT (liquid gasket stuff) and part of the oil pan seals to it on the bottom with hondabond HT. All the major oil seals are hondabond HT. The oil pan, oil pump and rear main seal are all sealed to the block with hondabond.

 

For a rear main leak, do they actually replace the whole assembly or just the seal (#21)?

 

Just the seal..

 

Damnit, #21 is a one piece. Thanks for the diagram. Not everyone can be lucky enough to have a factory rope main seal (the older guys will get it) lol.

 

 

Justin, I know this is a long shot (but since your oil is pretty new and fresh) are you sure it's not power steering fluid? When my seals on my PS pump failed, it was like that too...all down the back side of the motor and my entire under side of the oil pan was covered in what looked like honey...or fresh oil...or power steering fluid. I freaked out until I traced it back up to my pump. Rebuilt the pump with $8 in all new seals and never had a problem since.

 

good suggestion.
Ive been keepin an eye on the ps fluid reservoir and doesnt look like its leaking.

i can literally wipe the oil from the drain plug and immediately see it to form back up into a drip.

I'll take a pic of the drain plug tonight.
I ordered a new drain pan and some honda bond.

 

Oof...in that case, you're probably on the right track already. Sadly, since I've heard getting the pan off is a PITA. Have to drop sub? Can't recall.
Good luck, my friend.

I'm in no mood to give you a hard time this week. So let's just be besties again.

 

 

a few of the bolts are hidden by the subframe.

Im not dropping SF, will just have to cut steering wheel all the way and hopefully my fingers can get to the bolts.

 

can that be done?

 

^lots of DIY'ers have done it.

brochacho (Emmanuel) has done his oil pan like twice from being too low

 

Gotcha, didn't realize it was an option. Guess with some patience and the right tools...everything is possible.

 

A 3/8 swivel and long extension will help

I gave my pan 24 hours for the Honda bond to cure before putting oil back in it afterwards too no need to drop the sub frame just pay very good attention to the way it slides out exactly it goes back in the same way

There's a sweet spot on the subframe where you can angle it back in when reinstalling it

I don't know if the newer strainer design will help or not but it looks like it may have more clearance there right where it would hit

 

Frosty also detailed how to do it without dropping the SF in his thread...

 

Any word on dyno?.. Id pitch in

 

Same crap happened to mine. Had to change the entire pan cuz the threads stripped out and I sure as hell didn't torque it down hard the previous time I did my oil. My guess is the previous owner had something to do with it. And it was definitely doable without dropping the subframe at all but a lift would definitely help...otherwise there will be lots of "goddamns" and "mother f**ks" flying outta your mouth. And a word of advice....use Honda's UltraFlange II instead of Honda bond. Honda bond is great stuff dont get me wrong, but liquid flange is the correct stuff to use for this job. Hope it goes smooth for you sir.

 

that sounds like a job I hope I never have to do.

 

Justn.. if it is indeed the drain plug, have you at least tried a longer plug? I would at minimum do that and do a locking helicoil like timesert. There should be enough room. Worth a try.

 

crush washsher crushes against drain pain, correct?

crush washer made imprint on drain pain.
so, now...new bolt and new crush washer wont seal because there's an imprint behind it.


will longer bolt have a better seal?

 

i'll pick up the honda flangeII

 

I kind of doubt that's why it's leaking...


Maybe. I'd sure give that a try before buying a new pan and going through the chore of replacing it:

 

Justn,
If indeed there is an imprint on the pan.. somebody probably took a impact gun to it at one point.

It's more than likely leaking because the threads are stripped.. due to impact gun.

Longer bolt just allows you to catch threads that aren't stripped to maintain seal. You can get a copper washer to better fill in that area that is imprinted or possibly level it out with a grinder / dremel.

 

okay, so how do I test different bolts and washers without wasting another 4 quarts of oil.....?

I suppose i could buy some cheap oil for the time being..

 

Drain oil into a catch, apply fixes, put oil back into engine from catch.

 

Did you not watch the video?

 

I think you know the answer to that

I'll watch it later.

 

14 x 1.5

 

 

Ok....so a longer bolt isn't gonna do a thing for you but catch the threads that haven't stripped out yet, as stated earlier. You're on borrowed time if you go that route. This isn't something you just patch and go. It's the damn DRAIN PLUG for god's sake! If that thing backs itself out and dumps on you mid drive, you'll lose the entire motor because you didn't fix it right the first time and you'll be wanting to kick your own ass. A new pan will cost $100-120 from the dealer. Just avoid the inevitable and do it now. My 2 cents.

 

 

If the imprint is causing the leak, I don't think stripped threading is your issue, it's the fact that you're not (intelligently) RE overtorquing enough to crush the crush washer to fill that gap. I had that issue once and got away with putting a ring of high temp red sealant onto my crush washer every oil change.

Go easy on me, it was HS and necessity is the mother of ingenuity.

 

I gotta admit, I'm a little confused on if you did or did NOT make more power here. I mean, I get what you're saying in the post but they are a little conflicting, you know?

I'm not sure how far you went with the swap Justin but the j37a1 heads are definitely meant to be done in a "package" so to speak. The heads are greatly complimented by the various other fuel and air related components of the j37a1 engine....especially the components above the heads. This is mainly due to the fact that the heads (as I've mentioned previously) are a tumble port design which work much differently than previous swirl port design heads. Each one of these processes (tumble and swirl port designs) begin in the intake manifold once the air is ingested. Then from there, the air must be rapidly manipulated in such a manner that it to compliments which ever design is being used. Having said that, it becomes obvious that if one or more components are mismatched (ie: having swirl port injectors on a tumble port system) will greatly decrease the designs advantages as well as its ability to produce additional power.

Other than that, car looks and sounds great. No other DTC's have surfaced since completion?

 

I'm guessing the father was this guy:

 

Im not saying I lost power.
butt, Im not saying I gained either.
The butt dyno JUST CANT TELL.

without the dyno or a street encounter, it's hard to say that Ive gained as it feels exactly like any other TL.
I can pass up 4 cylinder cars with ease
but since the swap, I havent had a street encounter with a worthy opponent.

and until I fix all the itty bitty issues (exhaust leak, oil leak) you all will just have to wait for my findings!


I have a wedding to attend to today, so maybe tomorrow i can drain the oil and check out what's really causing it to leak.

 

No DTC's have come on since the swap.

 

I'm sure that a 12-14hp (maybe less depending on what parts were used) gain will be tough to feel. Hopefully you will be the first j37a1 head swap to dyno with the j32a3. Do you have a previous dyno from before the heads were swapped?

 

 

well, I went out looking for a race.

and I found one.



a Hyundai Veloster.
pretty cocky considering he is a 4 turbo.

except, I was the one surprised.

Multiple pulls with the same outcome.
He was always a fender behind me.

If he was modded; More power to him. :applause:

if not; I lost power.


but that's the name of the game.
I always knew this platform isnt the best to start off with.

and with my friend breaking the engine; all I wanted to do is fix the engine.
I aint worried about being the fastest TL out there any more.

I just want to fix the issues and have a long living TL.