The new seal gets pressed on from the front of the housing. This is best done with a shop press, but I used what I had. I centered the seal as best I could, put my 2x4 over it, then tapped it into the housing. Once I got it it about half way, they I gave it a couple of hits with the sledge hammer, to seat it in place. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here is how the rear main seal sits. The smooth side, with the single lip, faces the outside/gearbox. The inner cupped side, with the double lips, sits facing the inside/engine. After I made sure it was seated flush inside the housing, I was sure to clean off the excess Hondabond for a nice clean install. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
The shaped rubber gasket is a bit of a pain to fit. So again I used Hondabond to hold it in place. The last time I did this I tried to put the rubber gasket on dry, but just ended up getting frustrated as it kept falling out of the groove. So I apply Hondabond, and then fit the gasket. Beside, it helps seal things up better. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Now come the tricky part. The new seals are a bit stiff, and can be difficult to install. You do not want to have the double lips fold backwards during the install. They bot get installed point towards the inside of the engine. I needed to open them up a little bit to get them to fit over the back of the crank. I started by bending them up with my fingers. Then tested it on the crank, and adjusted it a little bit more. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Once I had the lip starting to open up enough I then used a funnel to flare it open more. I placed the funnel face down with the spout point up. Then made sure I had the lips opening how I wanted, and gently pressed down to flare the seal ups a bit. I didn't do it too much, because I wanted a snug fit on the crank. So I flared it, tested it, flared it, tested it, until the first lip was on. Image Unavailable, Please Login
With the first lip over the back of the crank, I then used a plastic upholstery trim tool to gently get the second lip over the crank. Again, remember you want the double lips pointing INTO the engine, not folded backwards. They get installed facing the same way they are angled in the seal race. After I got the second seal fitted over the crank I pushed the seal/housing all the way on. The single seal get fitted facing OUT. But that pretty much does it by itself once the inner seals are on. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here is the rear main seal installed, nice and snug on the crank. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Reinstall the nuts, and the bolts. Remember that the bolts go back in from up under the back. That how the rear main seal gets replaced Stooge style. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Now for something a little bit different. When I pulled the axles out i noticed that one off the CV joints had oil in it. The gear oil had gotten past the retaining bolt. So before I put the gearbox back on I decided to address that issue. First up I removed the retaining bolt with my impact wrench. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Grabbed ahold of the flange and wiggled it off the differential splines. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
The washer has an indexing notch on it that fit inside the indexing hole inside the flange. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I cleaned up the flange and washer really well, making sure they were clean, dry, and oil/grease free. The it was HONDABOND TIME! Smeared a bunch of Hondabond on the back side of the washer and base of the bolt, and reinstalled it. Sorry fellas, but I didn't take pics of that bit. I'm sure you can imagine how to do it has it's not rocket science. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Time to get this thing put back on. I had already remounted the engine to the subframe. That was basically the reverse of removal. Simply lower it onto the motor mount retaining bolts, and tighten it down. With that done I set the gearbox on my floorjack and rolled it in place. You will have to juggle the gearbox to get it to slide over the bolts on the block. Once I got it wiggled on far enough, for the bolts to stick through the holes, I used the nuts to pull it the rest of the way on. Tightened them all little by little, going around, until the gearbox was attached to the block. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
To align the bolt holes for the gearbox mount to the subframe I used some drift punches. Lined things up and installed the bolts. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Since I had the gumption I figured I'd snap a pic of one of the gussets I had welded to the subframe. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here it sits ready for install, with most of the goodies in place. The headers still need to go back on, as do the axles, but for the most part it's all finished up. That's pretty much it kids. How I did the engine out MAJOR service on my 348. STOOGE STYLE!!! Happy wrenching. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I do not know what I'd give to be a fraction of the mechanic you are. Thank you for the time you spent on this and for the knowledge you shared. I hope to be able to put this to good use in the future! Ciao from someone who owes you a lot!
Awesome job Ernie! This is a thread I will remember and will review it before I start my major service. Thanks again!
Hello Ferrari nation! I recently purchased a 348 and would like to thank all the F-chatters for sharing their knowledge in this awesome community. Of course a special thanks to Ernie for his AMAZING thread. I'll be staring this engine out service next month and have him as well as "jerhofer" to thank for putting together an amazing series of step by step maintenance procedures--thank you! That being said I'll dive right in to a few questions that I can't seem to find the answers to: 1- Is there a substitute (interchangeable) part for the Valve Shims at a substantially lower price? 2- Is there a general consensus about what fluids people use in their car (Redline 75W90NS) for example? What about oil? Antifreeze? I realize that there are tons of opinions about these sorts of things, just wondering if there is some sort of consensus on the brand and specific type that people are using. 3- Has anyone drilled out their engine frame mounting holes to make the re-mating of the engine easier? If so, what diameter did you drill them out to? As always a big thanks to everyone for all their help!!
First of all, welcome to FerrariChat and to The 348 Brotherhood. Not that I know of. Redline is good for the gearbox. Oil is up to you. BMW blue coolant is good. NO! Do NOT drill out the bolts hole. The bolt holes in the subframe need to stay the same size so that there is no slop/play. However you can chase the threaded holes with a tap to make sure they are nice and clean.
Hey ernie. .. Any chance you can get the sizes of the fuel vapor lines we chatted about? Mobilized reply by Dahveedem