advice: groove on the crankshaft main seal

[rideglobally]

my engine long block is nearly assembled/done. then we discovered this groove (pictured) on the crankshaft where the main oil seal installs. is this normal? is there a remedy without having to take out the crankshaft again? the engine rebuilder say that sometimes they placed a sleeve there but the sleeve wears out easily? please advise. what experience have you had with this? should i not worry about it or take the crankshaft out again and put a sleeve on it?

 

[Chang-kuao-lo]

i did a sleeve on the crank end on my old 2F FJ40, it lasted ~200,000 miles. the engine still ran pretty good, i had to retire it due to exessive rust. so, it may have even lasted longer.

 

[amaurer]

The groove doesn't look that bad, but I'd still sleeve it.

If that was the front seal it'd be borderline, but the rear seal is just too much work to change once everything is back in the truck.

 

[rideglobally]

is there a particular kind of metal that is best for sleeving, like someone said use stainless steal, the rebuilder said that sometimes sleeves wears out quickly. i also assume that the crankshaft will have to be removed from the engine so that it can be machine.

i am curious if there is maximum and minimum requirement before something like this have to be sleeve, just curious, i am pretty sure i am gonna sleeve it, thanks you much.

The groove doesn't look that bad, but I'd still sleeve it.

If that was the front seal it'd be borderline, but the rear seal is just too much work to change once everything is back in the truck.

 

[Kynot62]

Sleeves are sold as a press on item. They come with a tool to press or tap them on. Do not require you to remove the crank.

See an engine shop or auto parts store and ask about speedi sleeves

Tony

 

[Dave 2000]

Why so late in the day for the builder to spot that? It is a simple job for a reconditioner to turn the diameter a little and sleeve it. The thinner sleeves that can wear out are the ones used on the front crank 'snout' where the oil pump is mounted. The amount you can turn down the much narrower snout reduces the wall diameter of sleeve you can use. The rear seal contact area can be turned down enough to put on a sleeve with a generous wall thickness, certainly enough to see the engine through another life span. The simple push on type (no machining) have a very thin wall but because they will still go beyond the oe maximum diameter, this then forces the new seal to 'bite' harder against the new sleeve which can shorten it's life. The sleeves were great years ago when all the seals were made of simple rubber, now with plastic/neoprene/rubber hybrid seals they leak less but do groove into the contact surface.

regards

Dave

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Depends on how deep the groove is.

Often revised part numbers will place the seal lip of a new seal in a slightly different location so the old groove is irrelevant.

Make sure you apply grease to your seal lips surfaces during installation.


~John

 

[rideglobally]

thanks you this is very helpful let me check where the new seal seats. i had a small sip leak previously nothing major, this is in part make think to leave it alone. do you agree that sometimes the new sleeve will wear faster? ... thanks

Depends on how deep the groove is.

Often revised part numbers will place the seal lip of a new seal in a slightly different location so the old groove is irrelevant.

Make sure you apply grease to your seal lips surfaces during installation.


~John

 

[Wedg3]

the easy way is to sleeve it. The sleeve last at least 100 000km. But the cheap way is to put a shim in back of your seal. Maybe 1/16'' so your seal will touch a clean place without groove on it. that the way I do mine last year. No leak and the seal touch the same material then before. Don't know if it's a good way to do it but it was the way my dad learn in old time. I put a gasket 1/16'' that I cut myself in back of the seal.

 

[rideglobally]

sleeve it or shim it?

thanks so now i have two options;

1. to sleeve it, i found out they are called "seal saver" 100,000 km is not that much before they wear out. does anyone know where i can get a seal saver?

2. the other option is to shim the back of the seal so that it will seats in a different location. i like this option if i can put at least a 3/16 inch shim on it.

the easy way is to sleeve it. The sleeve last at least 100 000km. But the cheap way is to put a shim in back of your seal. Maybe 1/16'' so your seal will touch a clean place without groove on it. that the way I do mine last year. No leak and the seal touch the same material then before. Don't know if it's a good way to do it but it was the way my dad learn in old time. I put a gasket 1/16'' that I cut myself in back of the seal.

 

[rideglobally]

found the sleeve

thank to SMS Diesel in Australia they help me find the sleeve for the 12th application here is the link SKF Seals the part number is 99369. this is an off the shelf item available even in Los Angeles. i am picking it up tomm. just want to share the info. in case someone out there might need one. unless some other challenge comes up my engine should be done this week. hopefully in goes back to her home next week