Just got done putting my jeep back together after replacing the oil pan gasket and rear main seal. This is a list of everything that was done during that process:

Battery disconnected
Oil drained
Oil pan removed
Starter was unbolted to allow for more room.
Rear main seal removed
New oil pan gasket went in
New rear main seal went in
All sealed up
Oil replaced

After putting everything back together I started the jeep and immediately the motor is making a very loud noise that I would describe as screaching, almost like that of a loose belt.

I'm about to lose my mind, I just spent literally 7 hours doing this work in hopes of fixing leaks to my new project jeep and now I'm afraid my motor is completely done. I'm afraid to start it now, if anyone has any insight please help. Thanks.

 

Looks like ur new rear seal isnt perfectly mounted

 

I don't know what I could do differently. Everything was lubricated and put into place, sealed up with new gaskets and RTV sealant. I'm lost as to the next step.

 

Ur saying it was running normal before changing the rear seal? Where exactly the sound came from? What part of the engine.. can u locate it ??

 

Screeching from where exactly? Inside the oil pan? Could it be an issue with the starter? Perhaps the bearing cap. Here is a detailed write up on replacing RMS, maybe looking though it will help pinpoint the issue. http://www.dailydriventj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=811

 

inspection cover at bell housing get bumped or pushed in, If its off at the top it could be dragging some?
get a pry bar up there and carefully work it back into position....

 

Jeep was running flawless before this operation aside from an oil leak that was either oil pan or RMS so I decided to change both. I turned the engine over and the screeching starts immediately and doesn't go away so I shut the jeep off asap. I can't exactly pinpoint where the noise is coming from, but we just removed the starter and it looks fine. No fresh signs of grinding or anything.

 

Where is the noise coming from? Odds are that the inspection cover got hit.

 

The noise is so loud I cant say specifically. I am too afraid to worsen whatever is going on to let the engine keep running. I only removed the starter, the oil, the pan, and the rear main seal. It was torqued to the 80ft lbs the specs call for.

 

There's a rubber/metal seal that goes around the crank at the outside back of the oil pan and around and in front of the flexplate inspection cover. Did you install it properly?

 

I would like to thank everyone for their help and rapid responses. After a straight 18 hour night and day of working on this thing, I finally fixed the issue. I used everyone's suggestions to troubleshoot what was going on and by sheer dumb luck it was my starter hanging in the fly wheel. I pulled the starter completely off, took it to autozone to be tested, it passed the test but I wasn't convinced so I bought a new one anyway. Put the new one on and my jeep is back to running quiet, screechless, and without drips from thw oil pan or rear main seal. Thanks guys, especially you Stevemongr.

 

woohoo!!! Thanks for the update.

 

Glad u fixed it.. enjoy