Zd30 rear main how to guide

[Pumpdogg]

Hi guys,
I've just finished replacing the rear main seal in my 2000 GU ST auto zd30 and thought I'd post up how I went about it to help others out. This intended to help only, not a hard and fast guide. Just what worked for me.
Unfortunately I didn't get any pics as I was on a bit of a mission.
About 2-3 weeks ago my zd30 auto sheared the flex plate and destroyed the torque converter and gearbox, I fixed this but didn't do the rear main as it wasn't leaking before hand. Not my smartest move as it promptly started leaking.

Any way here is how I went about it:
1. Disconnect all battery terminals
2. Drain engine and transmission oils
3. Remove forward half of console
4. Remove nuts retaining shifter mech and floor pan cover (shifter won't come out until linkage is disconnected underneath)
5. Remove starter motor wiring (one plug and one terminal)
6. Remove starter motor top bolt
7. Jack car up and put on stands (I had ramps at front and stands at the back)
8. Remove rear tail shaft bolts at transfer end only (bolted to handbrake assembly, tailshaft will swing out of the way enough)
9. Remove front sway bar (may not be %100 necessary but allows more room)
10. Remove front drive shaft completely (I like to put paint pen marks on so it goes back on the same way)
11. Finish removing starter motor
12. Remove hand brake cable from body, 1x 12mm nut and cable pushes up through relief slot.
13. Remove gear shifter linkage (small "r" clip)
14. Remove transfer case shifter 1x 10mm nut and tap pin ALL the way out.
15. Jump back in the car and remove shifter mechanism (note shift lock cable position for reinstall and it's a squeeze and slide lock to release)
16. Remove floor pan cover
17. Remove all wiring required to seperate gearbox and transfer case (breather hose as well)
18. Undo bolts for transfer to gearbox accessible through car
19. Back underneath continue removing transfer to gearbox bolts ( I do the hardest ones first and leave the easiest for last, i.e leave a couple in before supported with a jack)
20. Slide trolley jack underneath with a bit of 70x35 pine on top and take the weight (try and balance front to back)
21. With a helper remove last two bolts and seperate transfer from gearbox. (May need a bit of coaxing, I tapped around the edge with a mallet)
22. Lower transfer and remove from
Underneath car.
23. Remove transmission cooler lines (hose clamps at front, banjo bolts at gearbox.) have plenty of rags and tape ready to stop those leaks.
24. Remove wiring from gearbox, this took me a while to figure out but none of the wiring disconnects at the gearbox. It all unplugs from the little fuse box beside fuel primer. Once unplugged, feed it down and tie it up to the top of the gearbox.
25. Remove 10mm nut at base of auto dipstick tube. (Out of two gearboxs removed both snapped for me) easy outs are your friend.
26. Start removing lower bell housing bolts (I left the two 17mm headed ones about half way up in for now.
27. Remove flex/drive plate inspection cover (2x10mm bolts)
28. Using a medium to large flat screw drive rotate the drive plate around to access 4x14mm bolts holding torque converter to drive plate. After the last one is out, try to push the converter back toward the gearbox (will help converter stay with gearbox, and not leak oil all over you later.)
29. Place trolley jack under sump of gearbox in the middle (piece of timber helps to not damage the sump) take a bit of weight with the jack.
30. Remove crossmember bolts, 3x 19mm and 1x 17mm on each side (there is a few extras on the driver side above the cross member)
31. Lower gearbox approx 100mm
32. Jump back in the car with every half inch drive extension bar you own and remove the top two bellhousing bolts.
33. Remove auto dipstick tube
34. Back underneath, I put a prop under the front of the engine to maintain the angle. (It helps when going back together.)
35. With old mate the helper again undo the last two bellhousing bolts and seperate the gearbox from engine. (A bit of wiggling and and height adjustment, should see this pretty easy) as soon as practicable, push the converter back toward the gearbox to keep the oil in it and not on you.
36. Lower and remove from underneath car (I lowered it but kept it under the car, far enough back for me to work).
37. Remove drive plate, paying attention to order of spacer, spigot and driveplate. ( these bolts were hard to crack, I got a bit of 40x40x3mm angle I had laying around about 400mm long. Drilled holes to line up with converter bolt holes bolted it to the drive plate and locked it up against a chassis rail)
38. Remove engine/gearbox cover (I don't know what it's called. 4x 10mm bolts.
39. There's the leaky bastard, remove the bolts holding the seal housing to the block, note the two bolts coming up through sump.

39** At this point, some people will say you have to remove the sump to get the rear main housing off. My workshop manual said it was possible without removing the sump. So I left the sump as is, I hate trying to seal up sumps upside down.

40. Pry seal housing from block using tabs on sides and top (they are specifically there to pry off, and if they break don't stress as the seal and housing are supplied together. I paid $85 from Nissan)
41. Once seal and housing are off, clean all mating surfaces on block, check crank for wear, speedi sleeves can help with excess wear) mine was fine)
42. When installing new seal and housing you need to apply a bead of sealant to the back and bottom ( I did bottom of seal housing and top of sump to be sure, due to not removing the sump)

That's pretty much it, re-installation is the reverse of that, just a few handy things to remember:

- Put a straight edge across bellhousing face and measure back to bolt ring on torque converter, this distance needs to be bigger than 18.1mm to avoid interference issue on installation
- Now is a good time to change auto fluid as you can remove the converter from the gearbox and drain it, just remember to fill it back up before you put it on the gearbox
- Clean all bolt threads to aid assembly
- Check drive plate for any signs of cracking, particularly around bolt ring, if it's cracked get a new one.
- Make sure locating dowels on gearbox and transfer case are clean and burr free.
- Make sure you follow the recommended torque settings for bolts
- I put a dab of medium strength loctite on drive plate to crank bolts and drive plate to converter bolts, no one told me to do this just piece of mind for me.

Yeah, i think that's about it. I've probably missed some steps, but if any one needs a hand just give me a msg and I'll help as best I can.

Cheers,
Justin.

[Sir Roofy]

Thanks Justin I'm sure it will help someone

[Yetiman]

Hey Shane here,
Justin can you tell me the Torque settings for the main seal just done mine need to torque it back up thanx mate..