I tried making the title as searchable as possible so if someone where as lazy as I am and also wanted to do in-frame bearings they'd find this thread, I also think there is a good reason I couldn't find another thread with someone doing or asking the same question as I am, it may be a stupid idea or pretty smart if someone hasn't thought about it and it's possible. But is it possible to do all the main bearings with the engine still in the car? The main question is the rearmost main cap, it's not getting it off and getting in new bearings, it is making sure it doesn't leak, I am terrible at making rear main areas not leak, first time with my dodge I used a gasket for the seal retainer surface and you are strictly supposed to use anaerobic sealant. I have a 96 xj12 so it has the forderized seals if that makes a difference, so I think the rear main is a 1 piece seal. Not sure if the previous years had a seal that that was two half moons? But, do you guys think it's possible to install the rearmost cap in the car and not have it leak?

 

Just learned, yes it is possible! I will update this thread with results and or challenges. Hopefully it will be of value to other lazy knuckleheads.

 

That rear seal will be a full circle arrangement.

I dont know what part of the rear of the crank it runs on, but a separate housing for it, then attached to the rear of engine (like the early XK 6cyl engines) makes sense.

Whether this housing is actually attached to the rear main cap is an unknown to me.

The XK engine had that housing attached to the block by the top half only. Very different set up, with the 2 half rope seals, just using it as an example of the possible attachment.

 

V12 is all one unit, main cap and seal housing are one.

 

Ivan,

I replied with a link in the other thread, forgot about this one, oops.