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Autopapyrus · Ford C-Max 2.0 Duratec HE (2005)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/ford/c-max/rear-main-seal-replacement/
Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

Ford C-Max 2.0 Duratec HE (2005): Rear Main Seal Replacement

The rear main seal sits in the engine block's seating bore behind the flywheel. To reach it, you need to remove the transmission, the clutch (or torque converter), and the flywheel. The exact step-by-step procedure for this engine is not documented in publicly available service materials, so the general principle is given below. Check tightening torques against the manufacturer's specifications.

Difficulty: Hard Time: 5-8 hours (with transmission removal) Steps: 13 Tools: Lift or inspection pit, transmission jack, socket and wrench set, torque wrench, flywheel holder, seal puller or thin screwdriver, seal installation drift (driver), degreaser, clean shop rags

Part

  • 🔩 Rear crankshaft seal for the 2.0 Duratec (with dust sleeve or guide sleeve, if included in the kit). It is best to also buy new flywheel bolts and a clutch kit (disc, pressure plate, release bearing) at the same time
There's a full repair manual for this car Every system, wiring diagrams and torque specs — not just this job. Haynes and 4 more. See manuals →

Step by step

13 steps
  1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal. Raise the car on a lift and remove the engine undercover. If you like, drain the transmission oil so it does not spill when you remove the driveshafts.
  2. Prepare the transmission for removal. Remove the air filter housing with its ducts, and the battery with its tray and the control unit if they are in the way. Disconnect the connectors and harnesses on the transmission housing (speed sensor, reverse light switch, ground wires).
  3. Disconnect the shift cables or shift linkage and the clutch actuator (cable or hydraulic slave cylinder). If the cylinder is hydraulic, avoid opening the line if possible; move the cylinder aside together with its hose.
  4. Remove the starter. Disengage the driveshafts: disconnect the lower control arms or ball joints, pull the inner joints out of the transmission, and hang the driveshafts out of the way. Plug the openings in the transmission.
  5. Support the engine and transmission (transmission jack under the transmission, engine support from above). Remove the transmission mount and, if necessary, lower the subframe. Remove the bolts holding the bellhousing flange to the engine block and carefully remove the transmission, without putting load on the input shaft.
  6. Lock the flywheel to prevent it from turning. Before removal, mark the position of the pressure plate, remove the bolts in a crisscross pattern, and take off the pressure plate and clutch disc. Remove the flywheel bolts and take off the flywheel (it is heavy, so support it).
  7. Inspect the crankshaft journal and the seating surface. If the journal has scoring or a worn groove from the seal, replacing the seal alone will not stop the leak: you will need a repair sleeve or another repair method.
  8. Remove the old seal. Pry it out by the edge with a thin screwdriver or a seal puller, being careful not to damage the crankshaft journal or the seating bore in the block. Thoroughly clean and degrease the journal and the seating surface.
  9. Lubricate the new seal with a thin layer of clean engine oil on the working lip only. If the kit includes an installation sleeve or guide, leave it in place until installation is complete. Press the seal in straight, without tilting, using a drift, evenly around the entire perimeter, until it is fully seated (guideline: flush with the face of the seating bore, or to the depth specified by the manufacturer). Do not apply grease to the working lip, and do not fold the lip over.
  10. Install the flywheel. Use new bolts and tighten them in a crisscross pattern with a torque wrench to the manufacturer's specification (check the torque and angle in the service manual). Do not use impact tools.
  11. Install the clutch. Center the clutch disc with an alignment tool and tighten the pressure plate bolts in a crisscross pattern to specification. Lightly lubricate the input shaft splines with high-temperature grease. Check the condition of the release fork and release bearing, and replace them if worn.
  12. Install the transmission in the reverse order. Align the splines and seat the bellhousing without putting load on the input shaft, then tighten the flange bolts and the mount. Reinstall the starter, driveshafts, cables and clutch actuator, connectors, and the undercover.
  13. Refill the transmission oil if you drained it, and bleed the hydraulic clutch system if you opened it. Connect the battery, start the engine, and check clutch operation and gear shifting. Inspect the bellhousing area for leaks, take a test drive, and check again after 100-200 km (60-120 miles).

Common mistakes and warnings

  • This is labor-intensive work that requires removing a heavy assembly: work only with secure support for the engine and transmission, on a lift or in a pit. The seal usually wears out along with the clutch and flywheel, so it makes sense to renew the clutch at the same time. First make sure the leak is actually coming from the rear main seal and not from the valve cover, oil pan, a sensor, or the transmission input shaft seal: oil can get into the bellhousing from several places. If you have no experience disassembling transmissions and suspension, it is better to leave the job to a repair shop.
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