restored a 65 cutlass holiday 330 engine w/steel crank replaced the rear main rope seal w/a rubber seal. the crank has ''relief notches''all around the crank on the inner seal surface as to lubricate the rope seal.upon assembly i rotated the crank and these reliefs cut up the rubber seal.how is it im reading about you guys replacing the rope w/rubber seals on a steel crank? i couldn't make it work.i replaced the seal w/the rope seal using the proper tool and torqued the cap to 110 ft lb as specified and im still saddled with a leaky rear main seal.

 

Before assembly, you should have the crank polished smooth in the area where the seal rides. I have even taken a smooth stone and polished the ridges as smooth as possible by hand and it worked.