Rear Crankshaft Main Bearing Seal: Service and Repair

1. Disconnect battery ground cable.
2. On models with manual transaxle, remove transaxle as described under ``Transaxle, Replace.''
3. On models equipped with automatic transaxle, proceed as follows:
a. Remove air cleaner.
b. Disconnect speedometer cable and shift control linkage at transaxle.
c. Disconnect engine ground cable at cylinder head, then coolant pipe bracket.
d. Remove secondary air pipe and EGR pipe bracket, then remove wiring harness clip.
e. Disconnect neutral safety switch and kick down solenoid engine compartment electrical connectors located near ignition coil.
f. Disconnect body ground connector.
g. Remove two upper transaxle attaching bolts, then disconnect neutral safety switch wire connector at transaxle.
h. Disconnect vacuum hose from vacuum diaphragm line.
i. Loosen hose clamps and disconnect and cap transaxle fluid cooler lines at transaxle.
j. Support engine using a suitable engine support bar.
k. Raise and support vehicle, then drain fluid from transaxle and remove wheel and tire assemblies.
l. Remove engine compartment under and side covers.
m. Remove stabilizer bar, then lower ball joint and steering knuckle attaching bolt. Pull lower control arm downward and separate from steering knuckle. Use care not to damage ball joint boot.
n. Insert a suitable pry bar between halfshaft and transaxle case and separate shaft from transaxle. A notch on the side bearing housing is incorporated for pry bar insertion. After disconnecting halfshafts, support shafts from body with wire.
o. Remove crossmember attaching bolts, then remove crossmember.
p. Remove starter motor, then remove bolts attaching end plate to transaxle.
q. Remove torque converter to flex plate attaching bolts.
r. Tilt engine toward transaxle, by loosening engine support hook, then support transaxle using a wooden block and suitable jack.
s. Remove nuts and bolts securing engine mount to transaxle.
t. Remove remaining bolts attaching transaxle to engine and remove transaxle assembly.
4. If equipped with manual transaxle, remove clutch and pressure plate.

Fig. 17 Crankshaft rear seal replacement:

5. On all models, remove flywheel attaching bolts and flywheel, Fig. 17.



6. Remove engine rear plate, if necessary.
7. Remove crankshaft rear seal retainer, then press out seal.
8. Reverse procedure to install. When installing seal onto retainer, position hollow side of seal toward engine. Use tool No. T87C-6701-A or equivalent to install seal. Torque engine rear plate to engine block attaching bolts to 69 to 95 inch lbs. When installing halfshafts to transaxle, use a new circlip, position gap in circlip to top of circlip groove.