Finally a runner

[Not Happy Jan]

Thanks Rob
The NOS seals have arrived. I got one set soaking and I just tried to fit the other set into the bearing cap.


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They look awful big.  Is that the  correct way to put it in . It looks like it will need a bit of coaxing?

Nick

[ardiesse]

Nick,

The seal halves are a lot longer than needed.  You'll be trimming at least half an inch off each end.

To install, bend the seal into a gentle U-shape, put it into the groove, press it down gently with your thumbs, starting from the middle and working your way outwards.  Once the seal's in the groove, push down on the ends of the seal to compress the seal in on itself and further into the groove.  Then you can trim it down as before.

Since you've got a NOS seal, you can do a little detective work for me.  Sometime between 1984 and 2006, the rear main bearing seal changed in composition.  The one I installed in '84 was smooth, glossy with graphite, quite rigid, and could take a clean knife cut.  The 2006 model, and every one I've done since, has been made of this fibreglassy, soft, fraying material that's difficult to cut cleanly, as you've discovered.  Please let me know if the NOS seal is different to work with than the one that's just come out of your motor.

Rob

[Not Happy Jan]

Hey Rob
The NOS seals are a woven outside with a compressed material inside. The consistency of a firm redskin lolly
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This seems to be hard to cut and is very fibrous.
Is this in far enough?
Pressed it down with a little mallets round edge.

[Not Happy Jan]

Top seal is in.
Trim the edges.
Should i Put the crank back it to tighten it up??

[Not Happy Jan]

It actually cuts pretty well. 1st 2 cuts horizontal and vertical and it looks pretty good. Bit of trimming. Going to get a couple of new scalpels

[Not Happy Jan]

As I said it cuts quite easily. Hopefully you can see a bit more of the composition with this cut. First horizontal on the other side

[ardiesse]

Nick,

The installation looks good, but one thing's got me slightly worried: the mallet.  I hope you haven't pushed the sealing surface of the seal too far down.
You can check that by installing the crankshaft (without the rear main bearing cap), and tightening the front three main bearing caps down.  You should feel quite some resistance when you try to turn the crank by hand.  When you take the crank out, you would want to see an oily imprint on the crank, the full width of the seal.

You can also try the rear main bearing cap on the crankshaft like this -
Get a 3" or 4" G-clamp, and wrap the "anvil" of the G well with masking tape, because you're going to be putting it on the crankshaft journal.  Or use a piece of softwood.  Put the rear main bearing cap, with bearing shell, in its position on the crankshaft, and (gently!) tighten the main bearing cap down onto the crank with the G-clamp.  Put the clamp halfway between the bolt holes of the main bearing cap.  Don't slip.  Release the clamp, and you should see the oily imprint of the seal on the crankshaft.

It might be an idea to squeeze the sides of the seal back together a bit with your thumbnails (or square-nose pliers), so it bulges out inwards a bit more.
The crankshaft is supposed to do to the seal what you did with the mallet, if you follow me . . .

Or, if you have a vernier caliper:  Put the rear main bearing cap in position on the block, without the crank, and tighten the cap bolts down.  With the caliper, measure the inside diameter of the seal, and then measure the diameter of the crankshaft where the seal bears on the crank.  The ID of the seal has to be less than the OD of the crank, otherwise the seal won't seal.

Rob

[Not Happy Jan]

The seal is sitting quite proud. I just placed the crank back in and there was oil marking visible.



One thing I have done is score the bearing shell!! I will need to replace this won't I. Will I have to do them all??

Nick

[Not Happy Jan]

 Just rereading the whole post. With regard to the seal your  say to gently massage the seal in with your hands. My grip strength is pretty good being a physiotherapist but there is no way in the wide world of sports that I could have squashed this seal even a little bit with my fingers.
I did flatten the Seal  out a little bit with a flat bar. It did go in fairly easily then, as I could then massage with my fingers.
I'll clamp it tomorrow and also just clean a bit of that pitting too on the crank.

[ardiesse]

Nick,

Your bearing shells are in such good condition that you won't need to replace them.  Don't worry that you have scored the inner surface of the rear main bearing.  As you've just discovered, the material is quite soft.  And luck is on your side - the bearing shell in the block is put under less load than the shell in the bearing cap.  The only thing to worry about is dirt or grit on the bearing surface.  Wipe the bearing clean with a lint-free rag, and then run your fingertip inside the bearing.  If it feels smooth to the finger, it is smooth.

Your bearings all look shiny and unmarked on the inside.  If they have deep scratches or embedded foreign matter, then it'd be worth replacing them.  One other thing to look for is voids in the bearing metal.  These generally look like little crows' feet or snowflakes of missing metal.  If you have these, you'd be best off replacing your bearings.

And before you clean the pitting off the crank where the seal seals, again I'd advise caution.  All the seal needs to seal against is a smooth surface.  It doesn't care whether the surface is metal or oxide.  Again, I'd suggest the fingertip test.  If the surface feels smooth to your finger, I'd leave it as it is.  If you feel slight roughness, polish the surface lightly with 600 or finer wet'n'dry and see how it feels when you rub your finger along it.

Rob

[Not Happy Jan]

Ok I'm back
The crank just had remnants from the old seal.
It linished off smoothly.
I had a mate who knew an old mechanic who came round and put in the rear main seal.




It took 4 hours but it was great watching him!
Now it's put together time.
I have a new gasket for the sump and bearing cap.
The sump gasket looks great. Do I trim the main cap gaskets as they seem a bit big?

[Not Happy Jan]

main cap bearing gaskets fit pretty good . I guess I should trim the end off?

[hsv-001]

Back in the 70's I worked at the first service station in this area with my brother in law ,we had the workshop as well and we would use a large socket close to the crank size to shape the seal as we trial fitted the bearing on and off until the seal was fitted and trimmed correctly. Easier than lifting the crank in and out. Just a thought . Cheers Haydn

[ardiesse]

Nick,

Welcome back.

Yes, it helps to trim a little off the end cork seals to make them seat better.  You may also find it easier if  you put a slight chamfer all the way along the cork so it starts more easily into the groove.

Rob

[Not Happy Jan]

Thanks
Haydn the rear main is in now,  it's the endcap bearing  gasket that I will trim and butt the sump gasket up to the endcap.
That way it is continuous with the surface of the block.
Getting there!!

[Maco]

Thanks
Haydn the rear main is in now,  it's the endcap bearing  gasket that I will trim and butt the sump gasket up to the endcap.
That way it is continuous with the surface of the block.
Getting there!!

Getting close now Nick.
John

[Not Happy Jan]

Still heaps to do John. Upholstery and some rust






Cam in and cover on. Bolts shortened so not to foul endcap sump gasket.
 

[Not Happy Jan]

Nearly back together.