Can someone please advise me on the installation of a front crank seal. I have a gasket kit with a rope gasket and I also have the type that looks like a grease seal. I'm not sure which one to use, my concern with the grease seal type is the three indentations in the timing cover where the seal goes. I'm afraid that if I just press the seal in, the outer rubber of the seal will get damaged. I've never installed a rope seal and cannot find any information anywhere. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
those indentions wont hurt the seal. but check where seal rides on harmonic balancer after installation, as rubber seal can get shredded by knurl on balancer if it contacts it. you may need a speedisleeve for balancer then. the rope seal you would need to put back in the metal retainer and cramp the rope seal in, leaving the ends toward the top of the cover. then oil it up.
Remove those 3 indentations on the inside surface with a Dremel tool to make a smooth transition when pressing the seal into place or else you stand the chance of distorting the seal. Clean the seal surface sealing area with a wire brush on the end of a Dremel tool. Apply a finger swipe of silicone sealer to the outside diameter of the seal to help prevent leakage around the outside diameter of the seal/timing case cover & also to help aid in the installation of the seal. CAREFULLY install the seal trying not to distort it. ALSO as mentioned if there is any kind of non smooth surface on the harmonic balancer hub get & install a Readi-Sleeve. Tom T.
Do you have some dial calipers? When I pressed mine in I didn't get it fully seated . I'm sure to bore had some taper which caused me to not get it fully seated.
Could somebody please tell me the part number for a Buick small block harmonic balancer Speedi-Sleeve? Or at least what diameter the shaft is? I'm using my original balancer with a TA cover and TA's own neoprene lip seal. It seems that the balancer shaft diameter is either too small for the seal or the seal is contacting the balancer in the knurled section, because it is leaking and the rotating balancer spreads the oil around like a sprinkler head. I believe a Speedi-Sleeve and a possibly a new seal will solve the problem. Good news is my engine doesn't leak even a single drop from anywhere else.
I've never had the neoprene front seal ride on the knurling. Its about 3/16" away from it. Look for the seal witness wear mark on the balancer.
I see that the seal contacts the balancer in the smooth section now that I have it off, but that smooth section is not actually very smooth on my balancer. Not as smooth as neoprene lip seals usually like. The Speedi-Sleeve will take care of that. The seal is damaged; either from the roughness of the spinning shaft or from sliding past the knurled section during balancer installation. I have a new TA seal that is definitely the correct size, the Speedi-Sleeve installed on the balancer, and a seal protector to protect the seal from the knurls during installation . All those things should give me a good seal. This is my engine. Nothing is easy with it.
How much runout will you have with sleeve on top of crappy knurling? I would want none. File knurling down smoother.
