On 24 Jul 2018 19:14:59 GMT, Clare Snyder wrote:

> Drive a stout sheet metal screw into the seal and pop it out wit
> sonething like a claw hammer. Then grease the (new) seal, inside and
> out, and carefully drive it in.

Aha! Thanks for explaining how to remove the old seal, as I didn't know if
I should unbolt that plate or not to get it out. If it's that easy, I
really need to do it even though the original isn't leaking.

This is a picture where the rear oil seal comes with the paper gasket:
<https://cdn1.bigcommerce.com/server4100/9cc30/products/9104/images/10439/RM957__95167.1426114211.1280.1280.jpg>

It looks like they also call it a timing-cover seal (which is strange):
<https://parts.olathetoyota.com/oem-parts/toyota-timing-cover-seal-9031188003>

Even though it's in the back of the engine:
<https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/oem/toyota~seal~engine~rear~oil~90311-88003.html>

It does have a "retainer" which I guess is the aluminum housing around it:
<https://parts.olathetoyota.com/oem-parts/toyota-rear-main-seal-retainer-1138175012>

The Toyota dealer parts people screwed up again, in that they "said" they
had the rear main oil seal in stock, but they were talking about the wrong
seal. Apparently they have something called an "engine seal" and they call
this one the "transmission seal" (where I had explained clearly over the
phone that it's directly behind the flywheel). Sigh. (At the three
different brand dealers I go to, the parts guys always seem to be clueless
about parts, where I'm amazed at how long it takes them to look stuff up,
for example, where I can find things quicker than they can).

They printed this out for me which is the part they should have ordered.
<http://www.bild.me/bild.php?file=1320830oilseal01.jpg>

Their P/N (11381A) doesn't fit with what a search finds (90311-88003).

I'd really like to replace that seal even though it isn't leaking, because
if it does ever leak, you have to remove the transmission to get to it.

I'll try another dealer tomorrow (there are two within 30 miles of me).

> and DEFINITELY replace that pilot bearing!!!!!!!

Yup. I'm taking all your advice. The kit comes with a pilot bearing:
<http://www.bild.me/bild.php?file=7378316clutch01.jpg>

> You can rent a pilot bearing puller slide hammer from
> most parts suppliers with a tool rental program. If it doesn't sound
> like a cement mixer now, it soon will - - - -

The amazing thing is that I went to two parts stores today, both of which
rent out the pilot bearing puller and slide hammer (separately), where the
amazing thing is that the bearing pullers are all TOO BIG to fit inside
this pilot bearing!

The people at both stores tried to fit it inside the new bearing, which,
luckily, I had in my pocket, where they're too fat even though you can
slide the teeth forward one at a time.

It's pretty amazing since this looks like a pretty standard engine and so
it has a pretty standard pilot bearing, right? The pilot bearing is a "6201
RS" which is a very common bearing for lots of shafts.

The tool is two pieces, as you noted.
1. A slide hammer that screws into the back end of the tool
2. The tool itself, which has both sliding and expanding jaws

Yet, both bearing pullers I tested at those two parts stores were too big.

I could rent one, and then grind it down to fit, but that would be abuse.
If I could have found a tool that fit, I would have bought it already.

I'm not worried though, as the packed-grease method Terry Coombs suggested
might work anyway, and where I might have to do that if I can't find a
small enough pilot-bearing removal tool.