We’ll see, I’ll continue to provide updates Hopefully, get some feedback tomorrow.
Jeep 4.0 rear main seal thoughts
- Thread starter Jms76
- Start date
We’ll see, I’ll continue to provide updates Hopefully, get some feedback tomorrow.
LKQ/ATK got back to me today, sending replacement engine - expected to arrive in a week. Do appreciate their responsiveness and no hassle approach.
They really did not have that much to say about the issue. Said they will know more when they get it back and inspect.
From the little they did share, they felt it was a tolerance related issue rather than an installation or oil starvation problem.
They really did not have that much to say about the issue. Said they will know more when they get it back and inspect.
From the little they did share, they felt it was a tolerance related issue rather than an installation or oil starvation problem.
I hate it for you...lot of work involved. To be honest I was not expecting them to own anything as I'm sure they have seen this before. Not the folks I would depend upon for my needs.
Yea, very frustrating and lots of work. But I’ll do it so I know it is right. ATK sells lots of engines, maybe just got a bad one. Do appreciate they owned it and did not hassle me. Has I of not dropped the pan, who knows what would of eventually happened. Good news is I already have the pan, bearing brace and exhaust off. A start on the engine change.
My only experience with a reman engine was a long block for my '84 CJ-7 which I purchased from Jasper. I had to replace all the exhaust valve seals soon after install as they were very hard and allowed oil to be sucked in the cylinders during decel. After that no problems were noted. I suspect all the vendors build and operate much the same.
Any chance you might take a peek inside the replacement engine before install? Perhaps check the RMS and cap?
Their response looks like a typical response from a company that uses quantity over quality method, which revolves around the low probability of sold garbage coming back to bite you. Their investment into the product is so low, they can afford to replace it 3 or 4 times no questions asked before they reach break even level. Had you driven it for 10000 miles before this resulted into catastrophic fail, which can take years for some drivers, they would have 101 reasons to tell you to piss off.
Was thinking about fixing all the stuff that i had to do on this engine.
1. Allen plug in head
2. #11 head bolt
3. Core plugs in head
Remove, clean, apply thread sealant.
As far as the RMS, though about taking the cap off and doing a really good job sealing the split line.
Also going to squirt oil around the RMS and crank before rotating the engine at all. Just so I know there is healthy oil film between the seal and cap. Engine may have sat a bit, just trying to avoid bare steel on rubber.
Any thoughts on pulling the cap and sealing like indicated earlier in thread. Or just leave it?
From what I have seen thus far it would probably be prudent. At least you could say you gave it your best shot.
You go dicken around on a replacement engine and they will void any warrenty, just sayin
You go dicken around on a replacement engine and they will void any warrenty, just sayin
Well...he did have the pan off to replace a leaking RMS and they are sending a new replacement...just sayin
Well...he did have the pan off to replace a leaking RMS and they are sending a new replacement...just sayin
I don’t think there is much issue cleaning off seal
Yea, I’m not so sure that they are overly concerned about what people do or don’t do to these engines. Typically, you open a warranty claim, they tell you ok, then you make the repair and they reimburse you for the material. That is the process I did on one of the water leaks. There was no material really. Just wanted to document it.
I imagine they deal with some inexperienced people who have no idea what they are really doing. Use a bunch of old parts, don’t torque things right, don’t prime oil system before start, and may not do a proper break - in. They don’t have a great way to determine who is at fault, so think it is a no fault warranty.
For example, when the core plugs in my head were leaking, they approved to pull them and reseal. They also offered to provide a replacement head. They never asked me for pics of the heat tabs. Or anything else.
Now I sent them a very detailed email with pics - so maybe they trusted I had a good idea of what I was doing or maybe it is truly no fault warranty. My goal is to never have to deal with a warranty again.
Technically I should have called them, opened a claim for the RMS. They would of called me back and said go do it. If you want your $ back for material, save your receipts. BTW, you installed, you fix with your own labor - the expensive part.
I’m not going to attempt to remove the RMS on the new engine and replace with a Mopar seal especially given they RTV the upper seal in. Spent over an out of my time with a WD-40 straw cleaning it out.
Max I’ll do is reseal. Min I’ll do is douse with oil so there is absolutely no dry start condition.
Shipper called today, engine to be delivered on Mon.
I imagine they deal with some inexperienced people who have no idea what they are really doing. Use a bunch of old parts, don’t torque things right, don’t prime oil system before start, and may not do a proper break - in. They don’t have a great way to determine who is at fault, so think it is a no fault warranty.
For example, when the core plugs in my head were leaking, they approved to pull them and reseal. They also offered to provide a replacement head. They never asked me for pics of the heat tabs. Or anything else.
Now I sent them a very detailed email with pics - so maybe they trusted I had a good idea of what I was doing or maybe it is truly no fault warranty. My goal is to never have to deal with a warranty again.
Technically I should have called them, opened a claim for the RMS. They would of called me back and said go do it. If you want your $ back for material, save your receipts. BTW, you installed, you fix with your own labor - the expensive part.
I’m not going to attempt to remove the RMS on the new engine and replace with a Mopar seal especially given they RTV the upper seal in. Spent over an out of my time with a WD-40 straw cleaning it out.
Max I’ll do is reseal. Min I’ll do is douse with oil so there is absolutely no dry start condition.
Shipper called today, engine to be delivered on Mon.
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Mine had the dreaded RMS leak. I tried a bunch of liquid fixes. None worked. I finally bit the bullet and took a day and did the seal change. It actually wasn't that bad because I knew what I was getting into pulling the pan and everything. The two piece seal actually went in Ok and has been great for about 5 years now.
Replacement engine arrived today. I’m debating on whether or not to reseal the RMS split line.
As I looked into this a bit deeper, I think I found why they used gray RTV to seal the halves.
The anaerobic sealer is good for metal to metal cure. So, if you have the lower bearing cap without the extra arms on it, think anaerobic would make sense as you could get very good metal on metal contact and sealing. Cropped a pic of what I’m referring to.
If you have the lower bearing cap with the arms stuck out as mine. There is no great way to apply anaerobic sealer to the encompass the seal. Basically you’d have to apply it to the rubber RMS itself and likelihood it would not cure between rubber and metal.
Not trying to overthink, but do see this as an issue. Any thoughts?
Even the Mopar instructions included earlier in this thread show two lines of sealant across the metal mating surface on the seal design with no arms. I’d love to see the Mopar instructions on how to properly seal the design with the arms.
As I looked into this a bit deeper, I think I found why they used gray RTV to seal the halves.
The anaerobic sealer is good for metal to metal cure. So, if you have the lower bearing cap without the extra arms on it, think anaerobic would make sense as you could get very good metal on metal contact and sealing. Cropped a pic of what I’m referring to.
If you have the lower bearing cap with the arms stuck out as mine. There is no great way to apply anaerobic sealer to the encompass the seal. Basically you’d have to apply it to the rubber RMS itself and likelihood it would not cure between rubber and metal.
Not trying to overthink, but do see this as an issue. Any thoughts?
Even the Mopar instructions included earlier in this thread show two lines of sealant across the metal mating surface on the seal design with no arms. I’d love to see the Mopar instructions on how to properly seal the design with the arms.
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I would pop it off and seal it anyway...never have a better/easier chance than you do at the present.
i don't think so, once metal area is sealed, oil is not getting to arms from there. Problematic area is still, just like in the new design, mating surface where upper and lower mate (circled yellow). If it leaks there, anything before it, or around it is irrelevant.
In my view, factory instruction is flawed. In picture that you cropped, that amount of sealant is excessive, but it works. Instruction calls for 2mm bead, and they specifically say to avoid getting it on the lip. Since there is no way to control spread of sealant during tightening, they stated size of the sealant bead.
I have followed factory instruction 3 times, 3 times it leaked, and after taking it apart 3 times lack of sealant looked very questionable.
Last time i went excessive (that pic that you cropped), and made sure to apply thin amount of sealant where 2 seals mate (yellow circle), i am leak free.
In my view, factory instruction is flawed. In picture that you cropped, that amount of sealant is excessive, but it works. Instruction calls for 2mm bead, and they specifically say to avoid getting it on the lip. Since there is no way to control spread of sealant during tightening, they stated size of the sealant bead.
I have followed factory instruction 3 times, 3 times it leaked, and after taking it apart 3 times lack of sealant looked very questionable.
Last time i went excessive (that pic that you cropped), and made sure to apply thin amount of sealant where 2 seals mate (yellow circle), i am leak free.
Do you think the sealant will adhere to the rubber? Or does it eventually was out. Maybe why they used RTV instead of anaerobic sealant. I’ve not rolled the replacement engine over yet to see what sealant they applied.
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