Transmission leak or just a missing bolt?

Just explain to him that pulling the transmission to do a rear main seal is like pulling the whole interior to replace the radiator
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Hell, it is not even that close.

OP, you definitely can do this yourself it is really not a hard job at all and you definitely need to get some better mechanics around you, if you tell just about any mechanic that you have a split rear main he will know that you do not have to drop the transmission as a split rear main seal in not accessible from the rear of the engine, one cannot even see the seal for the rear of the engine let alone change it.
 
mrblaine said:
Just explain to him that pulling the transmission to do a rear main seal is like pulling the whole interior to replace the radiator. They simply aren't connected.
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That is the plan, but I want to do it a nice way. I tend to have foot in mouth syndrome and do not want to come off as a d-bag.
 
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John Scoggins said:
Hell, it is not even that close.

OP, you definitely can do this yourself it is really not a hard job at all and you definitely need to get some better mechanics around you, if you tell just about any mechanic that you have a split rear main he will know that you do not have to drop the transmission as a split rear main seal in not accessible from the rear of the engine, one cannot even see the seal for the rear of the engine let alone change it.
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I am not the OP, just a thread jacker at this point.

I just called a local Jeep shop, one that does 90% Jeep work and 10% other offroad vehicles. I explained the situation to one of the mechanics who said the transmission must be dropped. I went on to further explain that it does not, and the exhaust and oil pan need to be dropped. He said no, tranny must be dropped. He then said he would talk to the owner about the cost and call me back. This place is one of the most reputable Jeep shops in my area.
 
skrelnik said:
... a general mechanic will want to drop the transmission.
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True for the 2.5L engine which uses a 1-piece RMS but not for the OP's 4.0L which uses a 2-piece RMS. A 2-piece RMS eliminates the need to drop the transmission. Only for two reasons would they want to do that for your 4.0L engine... 1) They have never replaced a TJ's 4.0L engine RMS and don't know that dropping the transmission is not part of the job. 2) They're just out to gouge the customer by increasing the hours required for the job way over what is actually needed.

No honest mechanic who knows how to replace a TJ's 4.0L RMS would say he needs to drop the transmission.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
True for the 2.5L engine which uses a 1-piece RMS but not for the OP's 4.0L which uses a 2-piece RMS. A 2-piece RMS eliminates the need to drop the transmission. Only for two reasons would they want to do that for your 4.0L engine... 1) They have never replaced a TJ's 4.0L engine RMS and don't know that dropping the transmission is not part of the job. 2) They're just out to gouge the customer by increasing the hours required for the job way over what is actually needed.

No honest mechanic who knows how to replace a TJ's 4.0L RMS would say he needs to drop the transmission.
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Yup, nail on the head there! In most cases it is both of those reasons.
 
Wow, you literally a book of knowledge thank you for this information and everyone that contributed. For a fact I know I can't trust these local shops all they want is money!!!! This isn't as hard as what the mechanic told me, he was bullshitting me to the max. Asking a price of $ 1200. I love this place!!!!1
 
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John Scoggins said:
Hell, it is not even that close.

OP, you definitely can do this yourself it is really not a hard job at all and you definitely need to get some better mechanics around you, if you tell just about any mechanic that you have a split rear main he will know that you do not have to drop the transmission as a split rear main seal in not accessible from the rear of the engine, one cannot even see the seal for the rear of the engine let alone change it.
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I did a trans swap from auto to manual for a gent. Shortly after, the RMS started weeping a bit. It took several phone calls and several emails to convince him that there is nothing one can do to cause or prevent damage to the rear main seal during a trans swap or clutch job.

You must have let the trans hang off the back of the crank when you were removing it. No, it doesn't quite work that way. The input shaft on the trans engages the pilot bearing just about the same distance that the alignment sleeves that the bellhousing registers on stick out from the back of the motor. That and if there was a miniscule chance that did happen, the crank is very robust and supported by a large bearing and bearing cap. The input shaft is long and very small relative to the size of the crank and it would bend or be damaged long before it would move the end of the crank enough to make the seal leak.

He finally quit raking me over coals about it but I'm pretty sure he never believed I didn't cause the leak. It didn't matter either how many times I explained that the one thing every Jeep owner with a 4.0 knows is that the RMS is an issue.
 
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