My tranny is out for my clutch install, and I noticed that the rear main looks to be leaking. How hard is it to change? Do you have to drop the oil pan or anything? I have access to the special tool needed to put it back in, anybody ever done theirs?

 

Special tool to put it back in?? What, you mean a mallet? You pop the damn thing out with a screwdriver, and push a new on in. Very simple.

While it is out, you should also put in a new pilot bushing. That is a bit harder. The Haynes manual says you can do it by packing grease into it and pushing it out that way. Better way is to use a slide hammer. My roomate bought one, and it seems to circulate around the car club to whomever is doing a clutch. Around here, it was a hard item to rent, unfortunately. He spent the $30-40 and it has gotten plenty of use.

 

I work at a dealership, and GM makes a special tool to install the rear main seal, so you dont damage it. So it's pretty easy to do? Where exactly is the pilot bearing? This is the first time I've ever had any first hand experience with a clutch install.

 

The pilot bushing/bearing is located in the end of the crankshaft, and it is what supports the end of the input shaft of the transmission. You can put in either a roller bearing or a bronze bushing. I recommend the bushing personally.

To remove the old one, a slide hammer does work best along with a pilot bearing puller. You can rent all these tools at your local Autozone, and they give you your money back when you return them.

If you have access to a seal driver from the dealership then use it, if not just use a hammer and keep tapping around it until it is in. You do not need to pull the pan. If you do a search for "rear main seal" here in LT1 tech, you will surely find an online gude on how to do it if you need some more guidance.
Good Luck!