Rear crankshaft seal and clutch advice

[AZmike]

I think it's about time for me to replace my rear main seal. The leak is bad enough that my engine compartment is a real mess and I need to add oil a couple times between changes (it's lower than I like it, not below the 'low' line). I've been through the old posts and still had some questions. Why does the spring in the new seal need to be shortened sometimes? Should I just go ahead and shorten mine to be sure I don't have to redo the job?

For those of you that have already done this job, do you have any advice for me? Is there anything you wish someone told you before you started? How much time should I expect to spend? My clutch seems to be ok, but it has 74k on it now (only 25k of mine, so I have no idea about prior abuse). Should I plan on replacing it, or take a look at it first? If replacement is a good idea, what would you recommend as a durable, inexpensive clutch (stock grab is fine)? I use this car to get around town/to work and I don't have a good place to work so I'm trying to be able to get this done quickly--well quick for a big job anyway.

My transmission fill bolt is frozen in the housing so I should be able to finally get that thing out and change/fill my tranny oil...so that's good I guess...becuase you know I really wanted to have to drop out my transmission

[Jareds 89 LX-i]

Well I can't really give any advise on the main seal or dropping the tranny as I've never done it, but will be doing both jobs in the future b/c my seal is leaking too. But I will say for the clutch, if you don't have heavy mods done or anything, I'd stick with an OEM Honda clutch. I just rolled over 300,000 last Thursday (currently @ 300,500) and I'm still on the original Honda clutch--never been changed. Still grabs great--about half way up and doesn't slip one bit. Durability wise that's pretty damn good if you ask me! LOL. I've also heard some complaints from peeps I know about aftermarket clutches (not necessarily performance clutches) not lasting very long or working right

[ACCORD EX]

about the spring shit ! first it got the shit outa of me ! about shortening it ! till now i don't know! i did my cam seal and front crank seal , i didn't have to shorten it in the crank but in the cam it leaked ! so i had to do the job again and shorten the bustard but ofcourse i got a new seal because once it's removed then you better dump it ! luckily it was the cam seal so it was an easy job !
but in your case ( REAR CRANK SEAL ) , you'll kill your self if it leaks after you have done all the job !!

so you better first collect all the opinions !

i would recommend that you change your tranny oil , clutch disc , pressure plate , release bearing while doing the job ! i would fo with a genuine one if you don't do racing !

gooooooooooooooood luck !

MIKE

[Dutchboy]

Jared,,,you say that your on the original clutch that came with the car from new???? or its a oem replacement...

I cant believe that you are still driving the clutch that was in the car new...that would be one heck of a clutch then..
BEn

[Jareds 89 LX-i]

Originally posted by Dutchboy
Jared,,,you say that your on the original clutch that came with the car from new???? or its a oem replacement...

I cant believe that you are still driving the clutch that was in the car new...that would be one heck of a clutch then..
BEn

Yep, I do mean original as in the original clutch that rolled it off the assembly line back in 1989. My mom bought it with 140k miles from the original owner (who, obviously, bought the car brand spankin new), and I asked him specifically if it had ever been changed, and he said "Nope. Only thing I ever did to the clutch was adjust the cable". He also kept records and reciepts of EVERYTHING, and there is no record of a clutch replacement. I know my mom never did anything with it, and I've never changed it. So that pretty much rules out everybody.

Clutches will last if you drive it right. That means not slipping it when you take off (as in, revving it a bit and slowly letting the clutch out, or racing), not giving it gas as you're shifting gears, alot of downshifting, and not sitting with the clutch pedal pushed in (at stoplights, traffic, etc. It ruins the throwout bearing). Plus if most of the miles are highway miles (which mine are), then you're not even shifting gears that much or starting/stopping, so there's virtually no wear done to your clutch when you're just cruising in overdrive.

[Immeraufdemhund]

the longest i've ever heard anyone use 1 clutch was 150,000 miles.. i thought that was crazy.. i forget what type of car it was. I remember when it happened to him.. He heard a SNAP! then his clutch went straight to the floor, and none of his gears worked. We first thought it was his cable.. Then after further inspection found out it was the clutch.... speaking of clutch i'll never take a clutch off of a 88 prelude again..... what a bear!

[Dutchboy]

that is almost unbelievable.

even if the dic dosnt wear out the throwout bearing or pressure plate will...'

man you mustave got a damn good car off the assembly line seeing how your at 300000miles and on the same clutch/...

ALL HAIL THE 3G!!!!!!!

that is awesome.....i dont think i could drive without doing any racing ever so i dont think mine will last that long..

what sortof climate and landscape do you drive in Jared???

with all the hills and the winters here normally the cars rust to hell and dont last over 300000kms,,,,well they do but when people look to buy cars and theres even 250000kms on it they back off.....not me thoough....for a honda its just broken in...

BEn

[AZmike]

Ok, it's finally time to take everything apart this weekend.

To those of you that have done this job before, how do I actually remove the seal itself? It doesn't seem like there will be anything to grab on to.