Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Don’t know about the first part…
Melling 84A
Take it apart, debur & “port it” a little if you have a die grinder.
Prime your engine with a drill / long screwdriver after install, and before first startup…
I think YouTube will be your friend in wyour search for direction on replacing the rear main.
I know it can be done, I know it isn’t easy, but it is generic to all ford small blocks of that era
good luck
Larry
Have you used the search function on the forum. There are numerous similar threads.
An important issue that there may be a non-removable factory cross member that must be removed. Vendors have removable ones but you will still have to remove the factory one. Definitely doable from under the car with the engine in place but not pleasant unless you have access to a lift.
As mentioned, unless the Pantera is a late model or has been updated to that level, there is a welded crossmember in the way of removing the oil pan. If so, cut it out and modify it to bolt in.
Once thats done, the pan is drained and removed. Oil will stop dripping in your face after awhile.
The rear main bearing cap is unbolted. Half the seal is in there, to be easily popped out.
The second half is up in the block, and can be tapped out around the crankshaft. To not scratch or mar the crank, use a piece of brass or aluminum- even a wooden stick- to tap it around and out. And as they always say- reassembly is the reverse of the above....
Caveats: '71-72 Clevelands used a 'rope seal' not available anymore, and due to the initial high drag of these things, there's a steel pin in the main cap to prevent the seal from rotating. Tap the pin thru and plug the hole in the cap with silicone- a pin is not needed with a modern neoprene seal.
And if your engine was further modified with a one-piece seal (not stock on any Cleveland), unbolt the ZF & bell housing, slide it back as far as possible, remove the clutch & flywheel, remove the rear main cap and remove the 'fail-safe' one-piece seal. A std two piece seal can then be reinstalled, or if you wish, a one-piece seal can be reinstalled.