In the simplest of terms, a rear main seal is a seal used to prevent oil loss from the rear of an engine, where the engineÒ€ℒs crankshaft mounts to the transmission, via a flywheel or flexplate. This, in turn, gives birth to the rear main sealÒ€ℒs nickname as the rear craÒ€¦ the single most prevalent cause of rear main seal leaks is simple wear and tear. Seals, though relatively hearty, are not designed to last indefinitely.