Rear main seal help...
 
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Rear main seal help needed

 

Mr87Monty
(@timothy-kruger)
Estimable Member Registered
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 109
Topic starter  

1941 Chevy Master Deluxe, original 216 engine.

Old rear main seal was leaking oil.  Now we have that out and are having an issue getting the new one in.  The engine is in the car.  The correct rope seal was bought from Chevs or the 40s.  We are attempting to use a Sneaky Pete tool as we have seen on several YouTube videos.  We have loosened the crank bolts by 1.5 turns and did see the crank drop to give more space to get the seal in.

Issue we are having is that the seal will not fit into the slot.  We just barely have the fits quarter inch in.  What are we missing?  Per the instructions with the tool we lubricated the seal with motor oil and preformed it using the lower seal holder.  

How have others gotten this to work?  Do we need to lower the crank more?  Should we be turning the crank as we attempt to feed the seal in?  What are we missing?

Hilton, New York
1941 Chevrolet Master Deluxe
1987 Monte Carlo LS
2001 Chrysler Sebring Convertible


   
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(@andy-somers-2)
Active Member Registered
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 10
 

Did your engine come with a rear seal originally? I owned a 1937 Canadian Pontiac 224ci that had a slinger on the crankshaft, no rear seal.


   
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(@anthony-williamson)
Member Moderator
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 149
 

I am like Andy, I doubt your engine had a rope seal (my 38 216 didnt) most likely just a lip on the crank with a groove in the bearing carrier/block (slinger). If we are right you wont have much success getting a rope seal in the groove. I have heard some enterprising machinist has converted some engines to a seal type but havent seen what was done.

Tony


   
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David Dunton
(@david-dunton)
Eminent Member Registered
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 28
 

I believe 1940 was the first year for a rear main seal.


   
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Mr87Monty
(@timothy-kruger)
Estimable Member Registered
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 109
Topic starter  

We took one that had gone bad out.  The original FelPro one we bought was to big in diameter.  We called Chevs of the 40s and they carried the correct one made by Best Gasket.  It has a square shape to it and is smaller in diameter.    Unfortunately we are still unable to feed it in.  

Hilton, New York
1941 Chevrolet Master Deluxe
1987 Monte Carlo LS
2001 Chrysler Sebring Convertible


   
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Russell
(@ruscar)
Trusted Member Registered
Joined: 24 years ago
Posts: 42
 

@timothy-kruger    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjOCaIQZF_A

Watch this one.

Russell


   
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(@anthony-williamson)
Member Moderator
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 149
 

Try loosening the main bearing bolts 3 or 4 turns allowing the crank to drop further down, 1.5 would hardly allow any drop at all.

Tony


   
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(@paul-wannenburg)
Active Member Registered
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 6
 

The seal material needs to be bunched up into the cap by hand. The old felpro rope type can be compressed by hand bit by bit to slightly overflow the groove in an upward direction.


   
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