Just got the car back from the mechanic, and he says that I have a rear main seal leak, and it will cost about $500 to fix it. He said that it isn't causing any damage, and as long as I keep oil in it, it would be okay to leave it as is. Is that correct? Or should I run right out and get it fixed ASAP? What do you all think?

Thanks,
Frank

 

i wouldnt worry about it, my first lt1 had a small drip, then i had a new engine built, and it still had a small leak, from what ive heard its common with lt1s, just check your oil every now and then

 

A rear main seal leak can possibly throw oil on your clutch disk. $500 is way too much to fix a rear main seal. The labor is the same as replacing the clutch plus the cost of the seal (about $20).

 

Was going to mention the clutch idea...

$500 for a RMS leak? You have to take the crank down for that, right? $500 for P/L seems right... What... about 4 hrs for labor and a $30 part?

 

not on a 97(all SBCs newer then 86 in fact), it has a 1 piece rear main seal, and you just need to pull the trans/flywheel, and bam, all set

 

^ok, So it's just basically trans/clutch and FW removal. ... Nice... My 85 had to have the crank pulled. The seal sat on top of the crank journal.

 

Make very sure that you dont have the LT1 intake oil leak in the back. Some people hav torn into the rear mainseal and found that it really is coming from the intake.

 

Check for the LT1 intake manifold leak. It could dribble down the back of the block and look like a rear main seal leak. On my '96, I had both, the IL was fixed under warranty, and since I had the A4, I just let the rear main drip go.

 

Well, I'd check for that LT1 stuff, except I have a 3.8

 

"M5" was the hint that it was a 3.8L.