So-Cal Mechanic Needed - 85 F250 460

Hey y'all,

I have a single cab long box F250 with the oil thirsty 460 that's in need of a rear main seal from what I can tell along with a few other bits. I've got a built up retired cup car motor with 525 crank hp and some other bits strapped to it that'll be going in next summer when I'm finally home off overseas work for more than a week at a time.

Until then, I'm looking for a mechanic that can either help do the main seal with me and show me the ways and tricks (I'm an old fashioned Mercedes guy) or I can pay to do it for me. Either way, it's leaking a pile of oil a day, so it needs to be done before the EPA show up, ha.

I'm in Los Angeles, so local is ideal or somewhere So-Cal. All of my Nascar, drag, and hot rod friends won't touch it because it's in a truck so any leaders or pointers are always welcome.

Gary, apologies if in the wrong section!

I'm not familiar with the big block in your truck , but obviously you need to get the sump off , remove the rear cap , and get a long punch , keep away from the crank surface and tap the seal around , you'll only get so far , then you'll need to get a hold of it with some pliers and drag it out , it's easier if you can loosen the other caps a little and move crank down a tad , but you have the trans on , they say the cometic viton seals are the best , watch out on the install you can shave the seal on the sharp edge , maybe a careful file on the edge , leave seal ¼ up and set cap seal the same opposite side , I just use oil on it , I've seen the moly stuff dry out , not good , also on some instructions I had once said no sealant  on the ends , which I think is a good idea because if you put some silicon or something on the ends  and it squeezes out then it interrupts the seal edge . Cheers mate .

This area is fine.  Hope you get good recommendations, but I don't know any good mechanics in CA.

You're really going to want to remove the flywheel/Flex Plate and for a 4x4 460 it is an engine out operation to pull the oil pan. (believe me, I've had a new pan and gasket for a year)

The back 'ledge' of the block (with the oil pressure sender removed) will hit the firewall long before you can get the rear sump pan past the pump and pickup, even if you can get to all the pan bolts with the exhaust disconnected, motor mounts and adapter plates off and the engine pulled up tight with a crane.

Sorry for the bad news.

Gary will confirm. There's no getting that pan off and dropping the crank in situ.