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Rear seal install, seal much deeper than original?
i just did new rear cover and new rear seal on my original 150k 99 5.3. I only pulled the cover to install the new billet oil barbell and update the seals.
Pulled the old rear seal and didnt think twice about it. Aligned the cover with a new cover gasket (looked different than my original around the back of the cam) and aligned the cover. Pulled the align it tool and smacked in the new seal. I smacked it till it bottomed out. Pulled the align it tool and realized the seal is really far back in the cover and on the crank. I panic'd and decided I'm pulling he cover again to verify this is normal. I couldn't get the seal back out to align the cover without the seal but the seal was fully bottomed out and seemed normal. That's when I started googling and found this was a new seal and replacing my old style seal. But this thing is really far in! This time I sanded the crank down with 600grit and got it pretty smooth. Slapped the cover back on and aligned it with the tool again. Since the seal was so far in I was able to get the align it tool in about 1/8" or so but I figured the new seal would also align it on the crank as well. I removed any grease on the crank before install the second time before I sanded it.
The seal is really far in and I want to make sure this thing is installed right bc I'm not going to want to pull the tranny or engine to do this again. The seal is a no name brand. Otherwise I'm going to have to get a felpro and redo this all again.
So with the new seals you install them till they bottom out right? And they aren't suppose to be flush with the cover right? Am I doing this right? need to knowing I have to get new seals and do this again ugh.
New style seal lip faces the tranny side Crank before insanded it but u can see the original wear mark from the original seal. The original did not leak. New seal full installed and seated. I could not get a screwdriver into the slots to remove this seal if I wanted to thats how far back the seal is in the cover. Judging by the depth of the seal in the pic and the one before this the seal has enough room on the crank to get enough to seat itself. I think it's fine but just wanted to make sure.
GM redesigned the cover gasket, and cover, when they went to the gen4 engines. I'd compare the two gaskets, as well as making sure that the gasket fits the cover, around the rear oil diversion channel. Any leakage there, and you'd have very low oil pressure.
As far as the main seal, I dunno. I only use GM gaskets in my builds, but the rear seal always bottoms out in the cover.
GM redesigned the cover gasket, and cover, when they went to the gen4 engines. I'd compare the two gaskets, as well as making sure that the gasket fits the cover, around the rear oil diversion channel. Any leakage there, and you'd have very low oil pressure.
As far as the main seal, I dunno. I only use GM gaskets in my builds, but the rear seal always bottoms out in the cover.
well I picked up a felpro rear seal and cover gasket from a parts store today. Open the box and both seals look exactly like what I have. The rear crank seal is much thinner than the original gen 3 seal so it would go just as far into the cover. The cover gasket is also the new design and different from my original. It looks like it will work just fine but the openings are much bigger and sloppier compared to the original. Seems like I can't get the original cover gasket that mine came with.
You have it installed correctly. The new seal may be designed to ride on the crank at a different, non worn area on the crank. May be better if the crank had a wear grove.
From: Saskatchewan, Canada - where arguing "DA" is for the slow and weak...
Originally Posted by JimsNovaLS
You have it installed correctly. The new seal may be designed to ride on the crank at a different, non worn area on the crank. May be better if the crank had a wear grove.
This is my understanding too. I noticed the exact same thing about the change in the seal design when I installed mine - at first I was puzzled, and then stopped worrying.
Thank you. I think it's fine now I hear from you guys. I realize the new seal puts it much closer to the block and on a fresh area of the crank. Luckily when I pulley it again I sanded now the crank to smooth it all out.
Wish i I was able to pull the seal to get the cover lined up perfectly but the seal did a great job and I was able to get the align it tool in partially to line it up.
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Rear seal install, seal much deeper than original? 
