Rear Main Seal

My Jeep started leaking oil last week so I took it back to Oil Changers thinking that maybe they didn't tighten the drain plug or the filter when I had the oil changed. They told me that everything was torqued to spec, and that the oil was coming from a leak in the Rear Main Seal. I had no idea what they were talking about, but since then I have been educated on the subject. Allow me to explain to you what the rear main seal is, does, and how much it costs to replace.

This is what the Rear Main Seal looks like. Located between the transmission and the engine block, this "O" ring if you will holds the oil in the engine and the transmission fluid in the transmission. This part costs $70.00

This is where the Rear Main Seal goes. To get to the part, one must remove the oil pan and sometimes the transmission as you can plainly see here. Here is the best part, you also have to replace the oil pan gasket ($68.00), the oil and filter must be changed ($30.00) And then there is the labor ($350.00). So, if you ever have a leak and its caused by a bad Rear Main Seal as is the case with my Jeep right now, you can expect to have it repaired to the tune of $518.00. Or else....

Believe me, the Raiders are the least of my worries right now.