Advise on RMS replacement

[TBax]

Hello. I'm brand new to the forum. I'm attempting to help my son replace the RMS on his 99 TJ 4.0 L.

In the videos we've watched the oil pan has detached easily; whereas ours required quite a bit of wrangling before it finally broke free. It was all but trapped in place by the dust cover (clutch cover / inspection plate).

After replacing the RMS we experienced difficulty re-installing the oil pan. As a result the black foam (seal?) on the dust cover ended up doubled under the collar of the oil pan as you can see here:

After removing the oil pan again we can see that the foam seal is now bent out of shape and torn in a couple of places.

I've hunted around on-line and not been able to find much of anything about this foam piece or a replacement for it.

The following photograph is from a PDF on this forum, containing step-by-step instructions for an RMS replacement. It seems to show traces of what once was the foam collar or seal which is now disintegrated or been removed.

My questions are these:

1) Does this foam collar or seal matter?

2) Is it meant to be dust protection, or can oil leak out a result of it being compromised?

3) Is it unusual to have to wrangle with the oil pan to detach it from this area of the dust cover, or is that not normal?

The previous / second owner of my son's TJ told us that he converted it from an automatic to a manual. I'm wondering if this change factors into the difficulties we are having with uninstalling and installing the oil pan.

Any help or insight on this would be appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[MountaineerTom]

Hello. I'm brand new to the forum. I'm attempting to help my son replace the RMS on his 99 TJ 4.0 L.

In the videos we've watched the oil pan has detached easily; whereas ours required quite a bit of wrangling before it finally broke free. It was all but trapped in place by the dust cover (clutch cover / inspection plate).

After replacing the RMS we experienced difficulty re-installing the oil pan. As a result the black foam (seal?) on the dust cover ended up doubled under the collar of the oil pan as you can see here:

View attachment 230515

After removing the oil pan again we can see that the foam seal is now bent out of shape and torn in a couple of places.

I've hunted around on-line and not been able to find much of anything about this foam piece or a replacement for it.

View attachment 230516

The following photograph is from a PDF on this forum, containing step-by-step instructions for an RMS replacement. It seems to show traces of what once was the foam collar or seal which is now disintegrated or been removed.

View attachment 230524

My questions are these:

1) Does this foam collar or seal matter?

2) Is it meant to be dust protection, or can oil leak out a result of it being compromised?

3) Is it unusual to have to wrangle with the oil pan to detach it from this area of the dust cover, or is that not normal?

The previous / second owner of my son's TJ told us that he converted it from an automatic to a manual. I'm wondering if this change factors into the difficulties we are having with uninstalling and installing the oil pan.

Any help or insight on this would be appreciated.

Thank you.

View attachment 230514

I changed my oil pan gasket on my ‘06 a few years ago. I don’t remember there being anything like that on there. I think I have some pictures of that area at home on my laptop so I’ll check and see when I get home.

Maybe it’s something different with the transmission you have in your ‘99, I don’t know.

In the resources forum, there is a link to factory service manuals and a parts list. Searching through the parts list might show something.

 

[MountaineerTom]

I checked my photos but all of them had the dust shield already removed.

I don't recall mine having foam like that. This is just a guess, but I wonder if it's there just to prevent rattles?

With it being foam, I don't think it would be used to seal fluids in.

 

[eastbloc]

2006 here, no foam seal or dust cover... i think they got away from using them after some year.
I honestly see no point of it, dust will find its way anywhere and will stay there if it is wet. If you are that deep in mud, it will get there too.
Kinda similar to the front axle seals, after years the only thing they have accomplished is collect all the dirt in there and prevent it from making its way out.

 

[TBax]

I checked my photos but all of them had the dust shield already removed.

I don't recall mine having foam like that. This is just a guess, but I wonder if it's there just to prevent rattles?

With it being foam, I don't think it would be used to seal fluids in.

Thank you Tom. Much appreciated.

 

[TBax]

Thank you for the insight. Much appreciated.

2006 here, no foam seal or dust cover... i think they got away from using them after some year.
I honestly see no point of it, dust will find its way anywhere and will stay there if it is wet. If you are that deep in mud, it will get there too.
Kinda similar to the front axle seals, after years the only thing they have accomplished is collect all the dirt in there and prevent it from making its way out.

 

[MountaineerTom]

2006 here, no foam seal or dust cover... i think they got away from using them after some year.
I honestly see no point of it, dust will find its way anywhere and will stay there if it is wet. If you are that deep in mud, it will get there too.
Kinda similar to the front axle seals, after years the only thing they have accomplished is collect all the dirt in there and prevent it from making its way out.

Mine has the metal dust shield. Just not the foam that I remember.

 

[LukesfirstJeep]

My 05 only had a dust shield, and no foam. I removed the dust shield first, and installed last.

 

[TBax]

My 05 only had a dust shield, and no foam. I removed the dust shield first, and installed last.

Thank you, Luke (that's a coincidence: my son's name is Luke, and this is his first Jeep). The dust shield on my son's Jeep covers the entire bell housing, and isn't simply removable as far as I can see. Does your dust cover also cover the entire bell housing or just part of it?

 

[LukesfirstJeep]

The dust shield on my son's Jeep covers the entire bell housing, and isn't simply removable as far as I can see. Does your dust cover also cover the entire bell housing or just part of it?

My Jeep has an automatic transmission, and the lower portion of the dust cover comes off with only 2 or 3 bolts.

 

[Ty Tibs]

Wondering what ever happened with this? I have the exact same thing and was wondering if it got sandwiched when previous owner possibly changed clutch?? I can post pics

 

[Lightning]

Wow, that a shade tree main seal. Stuff foam between the pan and trans. I would be more concerned with the main journal condition, looks like more than a little rough.