Is this normal?

[alexar55]

Shop pulled the SR today from my clip. Are these oil stains/leaks normal? When the engine was pulled there were also leaks near the valve cover + clutch area. Here's a pic:

[yellow_jacket]

I guess that all depends on how you define normal. Most motors and trans. will have oil staining on the bottom half of the motor. Whether or not it's excessive depends on how many miles the motor has on it and what was leaking. If I were you I would replace the rear main seal while I had the motor out and possibly the front seal as well. Most of the other seals in the car can be changed fairly easily. Keep in mind, most places will clean the motor before you get it so you would never see that.

[Tai Mai Shu]

bah, thats just oil stains from the clutch fluid leaking during shipping, thats normal.

[BuudWeizErr]

I would say do the main seals anyways. It's a 1 hour job to do both when you have the engine out, and it's a PITA to do with the engine in. I did my main seals, just for a bit of insurance.

[yellow_jacket]

Unless your stuff was shipped upside down or standing on its end that is not from clutch fluid leaking during shipping. Fluids leak down, not back and up. The only reason fluids creep up and back like that is because of the wind blowing them there while you are driving.

[nismojason]

just trying to learn something, where exactly are these rear seals and main seals that you all are talking about and what is there exact purpose?

[yellow_jacket]

The front crankshaft seal on on the front of the motor behind the front pulley. The rear main seal is on the back of the motor and is behind(or in front of depending on which way you look at it) the flywheel. Their job is to keep oil from leaking out of the motor since right next to them there are bearings that have high volumes of oil flowing though them.