Anyone know, roughly, how much it would cost to do the front and rear main seals?

Took my truck in because it's been leaking oil badly. Thought I had it fixed, guess not. Anyway, was told that the front and rear main seals were going bad, I'm thinking they're about gone.

 

Rear main seal would require dropping the oil pan and the front seal would require draining coolant, pulling fan and water pump, then the front cover. Quite a bit of work. Don't know what someone would charge though. I'd say 8hrs of work @ what $50-65/hr + parts, just my guess.

86 is right around the change-over year for 1 piece rear main and if that is the case it will require pulling the trans or the engine one to fix it. Which is more time of course.

 

And that brings me to my next option... just making sure I keep oil on hand until I can get enough money to put a new motor in, unless something just up an fails on me. With all the work that it might entail it almost makes more sense to just put a new motor in. And if that's the case, then a new, or rebuilt, trans would be a good idea.

 

Sounds like a good opportunity for a 350. Or with gas prices maybe just a LT1 cam, vortec heads and more compression in the 305.

 

The rear main seal should be a one piece seal that requires pulling the trans and flywheel to replace...

 

I thought about doing something like that, the only thing that I have against it is that once I open it up and start doing stuff with the internals I might as well do it all, which leads me to putting in a new motor... but out of curiosity, what would the LT1 cam and vortec heads get me? I'm thinking a nice healthy 350 would be good. I'd like to see at least 300hp, more would be nice, but the thing I want the most is torque.

Unfortunately, I don't have the right tools or place, though I certainly could make the time to do it if I had the tools and place.

 

budhayes3, you bring up the next thing... if that's what's required, then -at least in my mind- it's a good opportunity to have my trans rebuilt, or put a new one in altogether.

 

Sounds like a good time to upgrade to me

 

I agree, if you shop around you can get a 5.3 or 6.0 with trany, computer and harness pretty reasonable. Trans might be "little" harder to get, according to my buddy who's in the business they are hot property.

 

I've had that idea floating around in my head for a while.