Rear main seal with no spring???

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

I just picked up the new rear main seal for this 6.9, its a Fel pro, and I noticed it is completely different than the one that was in there. It looks as if the seal is just a hard paper "blade" or something. I dont see any extra lip that could conceal the spring. Did I get a crappy seal or what?

 

[icanfixall]

I have never herd of a seal like that for our trucks. The seal I use is the Ford-Navistar and it have two seal lips on it with the speedy sleeve. It also doesn't have a spring. Does your seal have the sleeve with it?

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Yep thats it! Sounds like its the same one. Ours has the sleeve with it too.
It has two seal lips, and they are a hard rubber type material, not paper. The one we pulled from the engine was being used with a sleeve as well, but it had a major failure. Half the inside of the seal lip had torn away and the spring was riding on the sleeve on the crank. I just want to know which type of seal is better. At this point, my faith in the spring type seals is pretty dismal.

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Another question is, how far set inside the plate is the seal supposed to be placed? The original seal we removed from the engine had the seal set flush with the flange in the plate.

 

[suv7734]

Another question is, how far set inside the plate is the seal supposed to be placed? The original seal we removed from the engine had the seal set flush with the flange in the plate.

It is installed from the engine block side of the rear cover, flush with the inner surface of the seal bore.

 

[RLDSL]

the new seal should be flush with the outer surface ( toward the outside of the engine ) set it face down on a piece of wood, set another flat peice of wood across the top to get it started ( the inner is tapered to make it easier ) and use a malled to whack it down in, once it is flush with the inner take the old seal ( clean the thing first ) set it on top of the new one and set the board on top of that and continue whacking until it is flush with the outer surface. Whack gently to avoid distorting the seal. If the old seal ring is distorted from pulling it out, you'll have to find something else to fit it that second way in.

Looks like you found that spring right where I said it would be. Sorry about that.

There's nothing wrong with the spring type seals. most equipment under pressure has them, they just need to be installed correctly. the non spring seals are no less prone to failure from incorrect installation, they will fail just as quick as the spring type. once the lip has folded over, it's all over but the cryin' anyway. The only difference is weather or not you have to retrieve a spring.

Get some really good grease for sliding it down the cup during the install. Don't cheap out here. You really don't want to do this again. it should slide on with no resistance.

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Ok, well SUV and RL, Im taking your statements to be exact opposites. The book I have says to install it from the block side, and press it in until it is flush with the inner surface of the seal bore. I have always installed them from the reverse side of the plate (away from the block) and pressed them into the block side until the seal is flush with the outside bore lip. Apparently that sounds to be wrong, according to the book.
I guess I dont see any possible way to install the thing from the block side, as that side of the seal is completely hallow.
Not that any of you are wrong, or the book is wrong or right, Im just trying ot understand this so I dont have to do it again.

 

[icanfixall]

With this kind of 2 lip seal you need to have both lips on the sleeve. That requires the seal to be set deeper than the original seal was in the cover. If when you have it set in try a dry test fit. Don't use any RTV yet but see how it fits the back of the motor and crank sleeve. It may need to be deeper but try it first. I use a twisting motion when I'm slipping it over the crank sleeve.

 

[RLDSL]

Ok, well SUV and RL, Im taking your statements to be exact opposites. The book I have says to install it from the block side, and press it in until it is flush with the inner surface of the seal bore. I have always installed them from the reverse side of the plate (away from the block) and pressed them into the block side until the seal is flush with the outside bore lip. Apparently that sounds to be wrong, according to the book.
I guess I dont see any possible way to install the thing from the block side, as that side of the seal is completely hallow.
Not that any of you are wrong, or the book is wrong or right, Im just trying ot understand this so I dont have to do it again.

I'm going to stand corrected on this. The seal I just installed ( also a felpro seal , go figure ) had a lip design that required full seating for the lip to center on the crank, but i just looked at another i have out here and It's a double lip like you describe and it is set in deep, looks like the inner plate even and the outer lip just comes up to the edge of the crank

 

[typ4]

Is that hard paper lip as you described it wide or narrow, it is possible that it is the teflon type and they get installed dry, pITA but last forever.

Also I have installed a few hundred main seals over the years and the IDI is one of the toughest. Take the plate off the block and find a piece of steel or aluminum to push it in SQUARE to the plate
from the block side or it will **** and distort. The flange is to sharp on the outside to do it from that side.
my 3 c

 

[MARQ2277]

According to the manuel:

"4. Coat the rear engine cover seal bore with gasket and drim adhesive.
5. position the new seal in the bore with the spring side of the seal facing in, then carefully install the new seal. NOTE, the seal must be installed from the engine block side, flush with the seal bore iner surface.
6. Apply a 1/8 inch bead of RTV sealant around the outside diameter of the real seal and edge of the real cover."

Marq
________________________
If you got a bad head gasket, over torquing will not fix it, and you may break something. A lot of people don't realize what torquing actually does. Each bolt has slight stretch to them, that's what hold them in place. The torque value is the ultimate stretch point in which the bolt will hold. To little, and the bolt does not stretch enough for a proper hold. Too much, and the bolt looses its stretch/holding properties and at a point, will break. If anything, over torque will fatigue the holding ability, and you should at that point toss it. As for the mechanics. Back in the days, any body could and did turn a wrench, but like doctors and lawers, there's the good, bad and the ugly. These days, you have to be a rocket scientist to be a good mechanic, the dumb ones get recalls, while the real mechanics win races and events; and know how to do a job right; always doing proper prep and research, and making sure there's no short cuts, and that'll do her approach.

Marq
_________________________________________
1990 Ford F-250 4X4:
7.3 IDI with 120K on the clock:
ATS Turbo with waste gate:
Stage One Injectors (Oregon Injector Service):
Complete Return Fuel Kit (Oregon Injector Service):
DB2 Pump, cranked up with Cold Advance wired permanently on:
4” down pipe, 4” straight through exhaust stopping between cab and bed (no fuff on my stuff):
Torque Converter Lock Up Switch (On/Off/Lock-Up):
E4OD Line Pressure Controller (adjusted to fast/firm shifts):
4” lift w/Rancho shocks:
Big Fat Tires on custom rims:

Tows 1985 fully loaded heavy 28 foot RV (my house) everywhere:

 

[RLDSL]

According to the manuel:

The problem with the manual is that it assumes the seal being used is identical in offset to the factory seal which in this case turns out is the case, but you always have to check, because on the felpro single lip seal that came in the lower set I put in recently if I had done that the lip would have wound up flailing around somewhere shy of the wear ring . as it is the thing barely made it on

 

[MARQ2277]

It sounds like it is a lot harder than the manuel!! I know that was the case when I did the oil cooler. Are you changing the seal with the engine still in the truck, or what??

Marq
________________________________
1990 Ford F-250 4X4:
7.3 IDI with 120K on the clock:
ATS Turbo with waste gate:
Stage One Injectors (Oregon Injector Service):
Complete Return Fuel Kit (Oregon Injector Service):
DB2 Pump, cranked up with Cold Advance wired permanently on:
4” down pipe, 4” straight through exhaust stopping between cab and bed (no **** on my stuff):
Torque Converter Lock Up Switch (On/Off/Lock-Up):
E4OD Line Pressure Controller (adjusted to fast/firm shifts):
4” lift w/Rancho shocks:
Big Fat Tires on custom rims:

Tows 1985 fully loaded heavy 28 foot RV (my house) everywhere: