[Tigers] Rear Main Seal Question

[Tom Witt]

It was 1976 when I rebuilt a 260..., but I vaguely recall the rope seal had a spiked pin in the channel to hold the rope seal.  If my recollection is correct (suspect, so don’t count on it) is it possible that is keeping the new seal (assumed rubber) from properly seating??? Do both halves display the same offset, or is it only one. You didn’t say whether your kit had a rope or rubber seal. I took a look at Rock Auto and they offer a number of seal in both types. So, I assume kits may still come with either type.

Many of these companies have a tech hotline and email responses. That might be the proper route over say..., some guys 41 year old vague memory.

From: Ron Fraser via Tigers 
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2019 8:09 PM
To: 'Joe Brown' ; tigers at Autox.Team.Net 
Subject: Re: [Tigers] Rear Main Seal Question

Joe

                I’m not the expert here but I believe that is correct.

I believe you need some compressive force on that seal to obtain a proper seal to the crank.

If you have an engine builder in the area talk to him.

 

My edition of How to build a Small Block Ford states 13 ft lbs of torque to turn the crankshaft with all the crank bearings installed.

I don’t see a specific spec for this torque listed anywhere so that  is probably just a guide line.

 

Seems to me some years ago I saw mentioned that Egge had a better seal for the small block Ford but I don’t remember following up on that information.

 

Ron Fraser

 

From: Tigers <tigers-bounces at autox.team.net> On Behalf Of Joe Brown via Tigers
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2019 5:56 PM
To: Tigers Den <Tigers at autox.team.net>
Subject: [Tigers] Rear Main Seal Question

 

Here is a question for you guys that are old hands at rebuilding engines.  I am putting my original 260 back together after it came back from the machine shop and I am struggling a little bit with the two-piece rear main seal that came with my FelPro gasket set.  The instructions say to insert one half of the seal into the block with about 3/8" sticking up on one side. This should result in the other side being about 3/8" below the edge of the block.  The other half goes into the rear main cap with the same offset so that it mates up with the half that is in the block.

 

My problem is that the two halves of the seal seem to be too long.  If I insert one half so that 3/8" is sticking up on side it is only about .2" down on the other side.  So I can't get the rear main cap to seat correctly.  Is it common to have to trim the two halves so that they will mate correctly?  Or should I just go buy another seal and hope it works better?  (Thankfully I live just a few miles from a Summit Racing warehouse)

 

Thanks,

Joe Brown


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