What are symptoms of a rear main seal leak?

Answer 1

Depending on the severity of the leak the oil level dropping in the engine

in a manual there will be engine oil leaking from the bottom of the bell housing, (there is usually a hole drilled there for specifically this reason)

In an auto (depending on variety of trnasmission and torque converter fitted) there will be contamination of the converter oil or the transmission oil, or again engine oil leaking from the bottom of the bell/torque converter housinig

AnswerI had this problem with a 1985 Ford Bronco. I bought the truck with the problem which just got worse and worse. you can tell because you will see an slight oil leak under the vehicle toward the back of the engine. On my Bronco it was in the back of the engine but before the transmission.From all highway driving, under the truck I had oil on the bottom of the transmission, on the muffler, on the front of the rear axle, the rear stabilizer bar bushings were inflamed with the saturation of oil which caused them to split and last but not least, the oil would cover the rear tailgate and window of the truck. This was caused by the draft from the air as the truck was driven on the highway.I had to wash the back quite often, nevertheless, constantly add oil. It got so bad I was adding the oil from my family's oil changes just to get to work and back home.I still sold it because of the plow on the front end.