Rear main seal leak question

mnbrown25

Active member
Joined
May 3, 2010
Location
Eastern WA State
TDI
'06 Jetta TDI
I just noticed that the rear main seal has started leaking in my 1.9 BRM with DSG. How critical is the timeline to replace the RMS? I'd like to wait another 10K miles and do it with the timing belt. I can live with the drip for a while if it's not going to create other issues. Thoughts?

cheers
Nate
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Are you sure it is that leaking? Much more likely to see something from above (like the tandem pump gasket or the tandem pump itself) leak, or the valve cover. Also, I have seen lately that some people have been doing cam jobs with non-OEM cam cap screws which are too narrow to properly index the cam caps so the end one does not seat flush with the head, and they leak oil from there (and it sometimes does not start leaking until some time AFTER the cam job).

But in order to do the rear main seal on the BRM, there is a special install tool as the CKP sensor tone ring is inside the rear seal carrier. People have done it without this tool, but with the tool you cannot screw it up.
 

tactdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2010
Location
North Carolina
TDI
2005.5 Jetta
Obviously one has to pull the transmission to replace the RMS.
What is the mileage on the engine and has the DMF been replaced.
When you check/replace the RMS, now would be a good time for a preventative measure to replace the DMF if it has a lot of miles on it, since it needs to be removed.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=488155

There are vendors who will rent the RMS tool, as mentioned it can be done without, but renting the tool makes it a simple straightforward job, the tool
keeps the seal from folding over on itself, and lines up the tone ring.
 
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