Can The rear main seal on a 1959 PV544 B16 engine be replaced without pulling the engine? Thanks, Russ

 

As far as I know, the only way to access the rear main seal on any vehicle's engine is to either remove the engine or the transmission. On some cars, you also have to remove the oil pan and the rear main bearing cap if it is an old rope seal.

For yours it might be easier to pull the engine.

 

I don't know about the old Volvo, but on an old Triumph you can actually do the job without pulling the engine. You can drop the pan, there's no cross member in the way. Then you can loosen the main bearing caps which will give you just a bit of room as the crank drops just a tiny bit. The main seal is made of two halves that can be slid around, then bolt it all back up.

Seems like there's a possibility of doing the same with the Volvo, since they tended to use similar designs back then. I wouldn't rule it out. Obviously it's not the best way to do the work, but in a pinch.....

 

Not a bad idea. I wasn't thinking about that. I don't know if one that old has a rope seal or otherwise.

I went to check my source to see if they had any type of gaskets available and nothing showed on the lookup.

 

Thanks, I'm well aware of how to install rear main seals of all types (55 years mechanic/machinist) , was looking for someone out there who has worked on 544's. I don't know if the pan will drop out or if the trans can be pulled without pulling the engine, it's really tight in there. The rear main seal is a 2 piece felt seal, with another felt seal behind it.They fit in a housing that bolts to the rear of the block and pan, according to the parts diagram I have.

 

Sounds like you are going to be pulling the engine. That might be easier than pulling the transmission.

 

Looking at the parts, seems the flywheel will have to come off. I'd pull the engine.