by Joe on October 10, 2011
After seeing the puddles and checking the other possibilities, you determine you’ve got a leaky rear main seal on your car; sorry.
This has the reputation for being a really difficult job, but with the right tools, attitude, and instructions, I think you’ll find it’s not too big to tackle in your own garage. Considering that this work can cost $500.00 or more at a shop, you can save over 80% of that expense by doing it yourself.
There are basically three types of rear main seal: a solid neoprene or rubber compound ring, a two piece ring of the same materials, or a rope impregnated with graphite, all of which go around the rear of the crankshaft, behind the last Journal. All are accessed on the rear of the engine block, behind the flywheel (manual transmission) or the flex plate (automatic transmission). In most cases, you won’t even have to remove the engine, just detach the transmission and shift the components using a jack and jack stands.
The best instructions I have found for tackling this procedure are at: http://www.ehow.com/how_4697251_fix-rear-main-seal.html ; there are also some good videos of this repair on YouTube; type in Rear Main Seal in the search box, and watch a couple in order to find the one best suited to your application.
I cannot emphasize enough that you should watch the videos and review the instructions as many times as necessary to become familiar and comfortable with the replacement process!
Of course, the best situation is that you never have to replace a difficult component like this during your life with this vehicle; this outcome is best achieved by proper maintenance, and that means staying within recommendations on oil and coolant changes most importantly!
Learn something new and enjoy!
by Joe on October 4, 2011
If you have noticed the air is getting stale in your Ford Edge it may be time to change your cabin filter.
The filter itself is easy to find, both the part at the dealership or at the auto parts store, and in your vehicle. To reach the housing, you’ll need to remove the glove box door. With the passenger front door open, kneel on the ground and lean in to look up under the dashboard/glove box door. On either side along this hinge you’ll see two white plastic pins (left and right) that pull out towards the center, and release the hinge. Open the glovebox, and on the left side, you’ll see the dampener cable which keeps the door from flopping all the way open; pull this free, then grasp both sides of the glove box itself, up near where the stops are, and squeeze it until the stops are clear, and the door will come completely free; set it aside.
Looking at the area behind the glove box, there is a wide rectangular door, approximately 1 ½ inches high and 10 inches long with two plastic bars upright along it’s length; there is a latch on the left side of this with a small plastic catch that you press sideways to the right – (it may take a bit of force!) then pull out on the left side, and slide the door to the left to remove it. Set it aside.
Behind the door, you will see the filter itself – looking at it from the edge, it is white, with a sawtooth edge along the upper surface, smooth on the bottom, about ½ an inch thick and as wide as the housing; grasp the edge and pull it towards you to remove. If it has been a while since this has been changed, there may be an accumulation of dust and debris on the sawtooth ridges, so pull it out flat and put it in a trash bag promptly. If there is a lot of debris, you may want to use a vacuum with a crevice tool to clear the area where the filter was before replacing with the new filter. Slide the new filter in the same way the old one came out, and reverse the processes to replace the door to the filter housing and the glove box door – you’re done!
Depending on the amount of dirt on your filter, you’ll know when you next need to change it – the manufacturer has guidelines, of course, but your particular driving habits may change your needs. Enjoy your clean air!
