AMC 401 oil leak

[buck55]

I am sick of dripping oil from my engine. I have replaced the oil pan gasket once, but believe that I need to do that again. Another thing I heard is the rear main seal leaks often, but it does seem like there is plenty of oil near the front of the engine as well.
Does anyone have this issue?
What does it take to replace the two-piece rear seal in the 401?

 

[J20 project]

It's eassssy...phhhhttt trust me.....
Just dont' do like i did and do it on the 100degree day with dust blowing onto my engine internals..etc.
Mine was on a J20, had to jack the engine off of the mounts, remove pan, etc. had to loosen all of the mains and just unseat the crank. got about a 1/4in drift punch and started driving the upper half out. It tend to be tighter than you feel you should hit it. Most people use a brass drift punch to keep from marring anything down there.
J20

 

[buck55]

It's eassssy...phhhhttt trust me.....
Just dont' do like i did and do it on the 100degree day with dust blowing onto my engine internals..etc.
Mine was on a J20, had to jack the engine off of the mounts, remove pan, etc. had to loosen all of the mains and just unseat the crank. got about a 1/4in drift punch and started driving the upper half out. It tend to be tighter than you feel you should hit it. Most people use a brass drift punch to keep from marring anything down there.
J20

Ummm, wow! much trouble. I have found that for a amc 8 take the oil pan off and then remove the rear cap, which houses the rear seal.. I hope this solves my leaking issues... any suggestions on how to find oil leaks?

 

[J20 project]

Ummm, wow! much trouble. I have found that for a amc 8 take the oil pan off and then remove the rear cap, which houses the rear seal.. I hope this solves my leaking issues... any suggestions on how to find oil leaks?

You probably know this but...you do realize theat the rear main cap only holds one half of the rear main seal, correct? Most of the time with these engines it is the upper half which leaks. Also much of the time the rear main has been damaged by the thrust bearing going out. Other than that I simply do this with gaskets. If it's rubber, it goes on dry. If it's cork, it gets sealant. The front timing cover on these leak sometimes as well as the front and rear of the intake manifold due to sealant on rubber gaskets. A little bit of silicone on the ends of a rubber gasket doesn't hurt but anymore and you are asking for trouble. the only way I know to find leaks,,clean, run, inspect.
J20 project