Rear Main Seal-Pull engine?

[aahmes57]

S70 1998

I'm getting scared here. From what I've been reading folks are dropping the trans AND pulling the engine to replace the rear main seal.

Is it necessary to pull the engine to replace the RMS, I can't imagine.

Isn't the seal reight there when you drop the trans?

Dropping the trans is one thing but pulling the engine is quit a bit more.

Won't be the first time I'm in over my head but it's a bad feeling none the less.

[phils94850]

Heres a write up one of our members did on pulling engine and trans if it'll help you any. I had a shop do my RMS i dont have the time or equipment. I think they charged me about 600.00 . You can do it either way its up to personal preference and equipment, and tools you have id say. Yep the seal is right behind the flywheel. Once you remove the engine or trans you remove the flywheel and its there...

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=28973

[aahmes57]

Thanks phils, Yes I saw that write up. I just downloaded the 850 maunal from this site and it looks like a lot of work.
Looks like it's not necessary to remove the engine to replace the rms just everyhing else but the engine? O boy.

Thanks

[jblackburn]

I think Lee did it just by lowering the subframe and separating the engine and transmission from his - although it was a manual box, so probably a bit smaller and more room to work with.

I'm sure he will chime in later on today/tonight. He's got pictures somewhere around here of how he went about it, but I don't remember what the topic was called.

I've removed the transmission before on a Honda from the bottom - there is VERY little room to work with, but it is definitely doable without removing the entire engine.

[renns]

You can pull the transmission from the engine in-situ, but you must drop the sub-frame down low on the driver's side, and remove or disassemble much of the driver's side suspension to gain access. I've done it with the car on jack-stands, but a hoist for the car, and tranny jack to help lift and lower the transmission would be the 'proper' way to go. It's tight work, but can be done.

I've also pulled an engine and transmission out the top, and it's really not much more work. The advantage of going this route is that the engine is now easily accessible allowing quick replacement of sump o-rings, cam seals, timing belt, water pump, PCV, etc. If other maintenance like that in the previous list is on the horizon for your car, I'd go this route myself. Then when you reassemble and install, you'll have all those niggly issues addressed in one fell swoop, and hopefully enter into years of trouble-free Volvo driving!

[cn90]

- No need to touch the engine.
- Raise car high enough on jackstands.
- Drop subframe and drop transmission (using a floor jack or suitable trans jack).
- Drill 2 small screws into old RMS and pull it. Do NOT throw old RMS away: use it to drive the new RMS in (wet the new RMS with oil first!).
- While you are there, change the Trans Seals too (qty =3).
- USE only Volvo OEM seals, nothing else!

This is what I mean by drilling in 2 screws to pull the RMS. This is from CRV forum but the idea is the same:

[aahmes57]

Thanks, jablackburn, renns, cn90.

jablackburn, I'll look for lees write up. thanks.

+1 renns, I was thinking that with the engine out but working full time the car would be down quit a while at the speed I work. Slow but I manage to get stuff done. It is definitly a serious consideration ($$) as I do plan on doing the TB, water pump etc. and that would make life a lot easier, Id be nut to ever sell then.

I just made a seal puller out of 1/8 in steel. Traced the one at harbor freight on a latex glove box I bought cut it out w/ a sabre saw and filed the hell out it. Haven't tried it yet. Thanks cn90 for the seal tip. I've learned the OEM thing with the hard jobs the hard way over the years when it was OEM or formula and diapers. Thanks

I'll do my best to post back what I can. If it would only stop snowing in the NE.

As always thank you very much. Amazing site with amazing people.

[Ozark Lee]

I actually never did a write up. I was in the middle of an out of town job and it was in the spring and raining all the time so, all said, the job took 2 or 3 weeks to complete. My RMS was actually fine but the throwout bearing ate itself which ate the pressure plate fingers off. The RMS was a "while you are there" and given that the car had around 237k on the clock I figured it couldn't hurt to change it while I was getting the flywheel resurfaced.

I'm not sure about the automatic but the Haynes and Vadis made no distinction between the two transmissions.

You will need to fabricate an engine support. Here is how I did mine with stuff from the local Lowes.

Volvo April 29 020.JPG (228.41 KiB) Viewed 12996 times

I use the chain to support the engine and then used a ratcheting strap, also supported by the 4x4 to lower the transmission out after I got it free from the engine.

The ratcheting strap also worked real well, along with a floor jack from below, to get things lined back up when I put the transmission back in.

...Lee

[dialex]

This works on most Volvo models- I've used it on my 760 for an engine mount replacement, and fits good on S60 and S80, where I have lowered the whole engine / transmission. You need good size threaded rod (3/4 inch to be on the safe side) $10 ; chain links with a connector- $10 and 6ft 2x8 and two or three 2x4's by 6ft (total cost around $30)
The threaded rods should be at least 24 to 30 inches, so you can lower everything down to floor level, where the tranny separation from engine happens You have to unbolt most of the Transmission holding bolts before you lower everything down.

[cn90]

Nice wood work, I like it. But the cost of wood, rods, chain etc. will be more than $50-$60.

FYI, the price of engine support has decreased in the last few years.
Harbor Freight current sells Engine Support for $69: