Check the rear of the valve cover before you condemn the rear main seal.
I just cannot get the 4 down pipe bolts out.
As in, one day it was fine, the next day like this?
Yeah, that reminds me that when I did mine last fall, I purchased some low profile sockets!Reaching in under the front fender liner (take it right out) and using a short socket is what does the trick for me. The heat shield gets in the way of a long socket. If you have the right socket, you could probably get it from underneath. I ground one of my sockets down to fit. Also had to use my thinnest ratchet.
Thanks for replying. I will soak them some more. Would you confirm they are 5/8” bolts?@Scain, are they pretty rusty? They are not torqued very high. I was able to get mine off with a 1/4" drive long extension. Might just need to keep hosing them down with liquid wrench and working them back and forth.