Snake Oil for leaky rear main?

Geo-TH,In · Aug 15, 2018

My Farmall C's rear main is starting to leak. I change oil each spring. Doubt if I put 75 hours on it in a year.

Snake oil recommendation?

RESLLS · Aug 15, 2018

If it is a rope seal there is nothing but a new one that will help. Rubber seal, there are things that will make it swell up, but they are very short term. Main Stay is one that will swell up and soften the rubber seal, worked for about 6 months in an old car i had years ago. Don't think it is still even made.

tomNE · Aug 15, 2018

brake fluid

rustred · Aug 15, 2018

a leak is a leak, tear down time. try hevier oil like 20-50 and dont worry about it if its only drips. oil potions dont work and will cause more problem by swelling the seal. its most likely the rope seal so either replace or live with it is your options. plus not getting the tractor to operating temp dont help things.

the tractor vet · Aug 15, 2018

Usually a leaky rear main is cause by excess ware in the main bearings and this allows the crank to flop around and hammer out the seal. Myself i would invest in a pan gskt. and some plastia gauge and see where your at . Then if need be that engine would come out and get throwen on a stand and do what it needs . Then ya know what ya have .

Steve@Advance · Aug 15, 2018

Also running the level a little low will help.

If you are the only operator, just keep an eye on it. It most likely will level off about a quart low and greatly slow the leak. We have a forklift with a Continental engine, fill to the full mark and the rear seal pours oil! Let it drop to a quart low and it will go 6 months with only an occasional drip. Been that way for 20 years now!

Is the crankcase breather clean?

Bob · Aug 15, 2018

Mite not hurt to wash out the filter mesh in the crankcase breather/oil fill cap. A little extra crankcase pressure from a restricted breather can make a little leak a LOT worse.

GEO-TH, In · Aug 16, 2018

I'll wash breather. It holds 6 qts. Never uses oil. I might drain out a little or let it drip it out.

RLA · Aug 16, 2018

With a Rope style seal the only thing you can try is a piece of wire, like 1/16 brazing rod, grind end to a sharpen point & drive it up in seal groove, between
the engine block & rope seal. Cut off remaining wire tails. Do this on both sides of the crank. The wire will follow the curve of the seal groove. Steel Wire
will work too ( Like the Wire inside a Choke Cable ). If by chance the rope moves then a two piece split seal, if made for this engine can be installed. We have
repaired countless Ford Tractors, Cars & trucks with this Method. Granted it is Temporary, the writing is already on the wall, but with Low hour use, you might
get years of service be for it leaks again.

gene bender · Aug 16, 2018

nothing is going to swell the 0ld hard felt seal there its worn out. You have to split the tractor and remove the flywheel to just get to the seal no way to repair or even get to it without splitting and removing the flywheel all those other posts about repair must not have had one apart

Geo-TH,In · Aug 16, 2018

This tractor was totally rebuild before I got. So the rear main isn't the original. Engine is solid. No blow by. Doesn't use a drop of oil.

Need snake oil recommendations please.

Snake Oil for leaky rear main?

Geo-TH,In

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RESLLS

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tomNE

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rustred

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the tractor vet

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Steve@Advance

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Bob

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GEO-TH, In

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RLA

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gene bender

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Geo-TH,In

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