I've got a 1961 Olds 98 with the 394 and I'm doing a front crank seal. I ordered one from RockAuto that was a National 473231. It is way too small of a diameter. Can anyone help me find one that will work. I don't really want to buy a full gasket set but I saw online that Fusick sells Fel-Pro TCS 6402-1 timing cover set. On eBay there is an SKF 18581 seal that says it "fits". I haven't measured mine that I took out to what they have listed.

 

Sorry I didnt see this earlier. Ill take a look in the morning at the shop. I can look and see which seal comes in the Fel Pro kit.

Have you looked at the original seal to see if there is a part number on it ?

 

The Fel Pro catalog I have does not show the seals by themselves. The SKF seal you listed is 2.627 od and is for a 1.875 shaft so if you measure your damper and the hole in the front cover that would tell you if it might work.

I am not sure why the 473231 seal is listed but that is what the Federal Mogul web catalog calls for. Certainly not correct.

Measure your damper and the hole in the cover and I will see if I can come up with anything else.

 

Thanks. I measured what I could of my old seal, as it was pretty mangled to get it out. I measured close to 2.622. Might have been a crushed area too. I didn't measure the damper but I will tonight.

 

If that is correct then it sounds like the SKF should work depending on what the damper measures.

 

Hey! Changing the front crank seal on a 394 can sometimes be a challenge. If the National 473231 seal is too small, it’s worth checking the dimensions of the original seal you removed. Often, differences in diameters can come from aftermarket parts.If you don’t want to buy a full gasket set, the SKF 18581 could be a good choice. Make sure it has the right dimensions before purchasing. You might also want to reach out to Fusick to confirm that the Fel-Pro TCS 6402-1 will fit. Good luck!

 

I ordered that SKF 18581 seal. Got it and installed it yesterday. It is the correct outside and inside diameter. It's not as wide as factory but I just installed it flush with the front cover. It should work well.