I think I've messed up here, I tend to get ahead of myself when I'm working on things, so I tore out the Crankshaft seal on the front cover as I had a new one or so I thought in my Fel-Pro Gasket set....this can't be a replacement for the original seal???

 

Don't know about your exact application, but if ID and OD are the same it could be the aftermarket replacement.

 

You might still be good. As mentioned, the current aftermarket seals sometime "look" different from the originals. As mentioned, check the fit on the crankshaft (or balancer) and in the cover. If both fit properly just do the install carefully with a proper driver so as to not damage the new seal. Lubricate the seal before installing. Let the seal on the crankshaft (or balancer) "position" the cover before tightening the cover's bolts. This will provide for longer seal life. The older Olds V-8 engines used two different seals for the front of the crankshaft depending on whether it had a harmonic balancer or not. One was 1/2" thick (part 556231); the other was 3/4" thick (part 557782). By the looks of the old seal, it was time for a change.

 

Craig here -- Let me know if you are comfortable with the Fel Pro seal --
Fel Pro has long been the best gasket maker on Planet Earth -- but they
out-source some seals to put into their kits.
I have tens of thousands of seals from seal companies -- N.O.S. -- and some of them --- ARE FAR SUPERIOR --- to some of what is made today.
If you need, let me know......
Cheers....... Craig......

 

I'll check that tomorrow...cheers Patrick.

It definitely was past its best Ozzie....No balancer on mine, but apart from the difference in thickness, the old seal had a two part sealing system going on, a rubber seal on the internal side followed by a felt seal which you can see in the pic is still intact, the rubber one was so brittle it just broke away, the replacement only has the single rubber seal...I hope it's up to the job.

Thank you as always Craig.

 

Sometimes I've found on old machinery, I can double the newer thinner seals. Never tried it on an engine though.

 

As usual Ozzie, you got that right!!

 

I have doubled seals as Oldcutlass says. With a thinner seal it is a must to make sure it is installed straight as it is easier to **** it when installing. Watch for a wear groove on your shaft and position the new seal to ride on a good surface. I also use a sealant or Loctite on the outside edge.

 

Cheers Patrick, I got it done today, I used a different seal in the end....it all seems to have worked out ok.
And after a thorough cleaning, and a lick of paint....

 

These are good words to follow, especially if the seal doesn't have the soft coated perimeter. Tiny irregularities in the seal's OD and/or the cover can make for "oozing" leaks without the sealant. I've used Permatex or something similar.

 

Please post the PN and source for the seal you used so future members can reference.

 

Of course..

It was part of a timing cover gasket set from Fusicks, I don't have a separate pt# for it....I had bought it mths ago, to be honest I forgot I had it as I was trying to use the one that was included in the Fel-pro set, but this was much more substantial and had a double sealing rings on the inner side and a further rubber seal on the outer edge to help seal against the cover.

http://www.fusickautomotiveproducts....sp?number=6402

 

Great job Nigel. Did the Treadlevac rebuild you did work out well? If you commented about it after it was finished,I missed your post. Your car must be coming along well with all you have done. Congratulations, Larry

 

The Treadle Vac worked out great Larry, rock solid pedal, cant wait to get her on the road....I had more trouble bleeding the system than rebuilding that

 

X2 on bleeding the air after the rebuild.That almost wore out my replacement knee since I was the one pumping the pedal.I'm not sure why that much air gets in that system during the rebuild,because we bench bled the unit ,but it definitely took a long time to get it bled.
Proud that it worked out well, and that I kept telling you that you could do it yourself.Most people are afraid of the treadlevacs, but they are not that bad . Congrats, Larry

 

I'm grateful indeed my friend for the encouragement.
An unbelievable amount of air, I thought at one point I had not connected something properly.
I had my girlfriend doing the pumping....she was on top, I was underneath lol

 

And then you bled the brakes...

 

Oldcutlass, I am the one that ask the question about the TreadleVac problem, and didn't think about it getting turned into this..I've not seen anything about your age,but you are way younger than I am,because I read that quote that you quoted in post#17, but I wasn't about to bring it to anyone's attention. Now we know where the Name "Eightbanger " came from. Oh well it's all in good fun. Larry

 

Larry, it was a variation to an old comedy skit I once heard on an old 78 record album from back in the day. When you could laugh at innuendo and comedy was actually funny. I'm not old, just older... I have gotten past my first heart attack though.

 

Someone once told me that innuendo is the Italian word for Preparation H. Are we still on the same vein?

 

Larry, I hope I haven't caused offense, that kind of innuendo and double entendre is what we grow up with over here, I did think twice about using it on here in case folks get offended or it just gets lost in translation.

 

Nigel,I befriended you when you first posted on the forum and this will change nothing.Heck I had me a good laugh when "oldcutlass"analyzed what you said.If you pay close attention ,there's often a little humor on the site besides on "Humor de Jour". I thought that sounds marvelous ,and I bet it didn't even "wear out her knees", like it did mine. I hope not, Nigel. Larry