Rope style rear main oil seal
#1
Rope style rear main oil seal
Anyone know what year Ford stopped using the two piece rope style seal and go to the two piece neoprene?
A couple of us were having the discussion about this situation. I'm changing the rope style seal on my 351m and the cap doesn't have a "spike" to keep the seal from spinning. So we were thinking that the cap was maybe setup for the neoprene seal
Are all the 351m main caps this way?
A couple of us were having the discussion about this situation. I'm changing the rope style seal on my 351m and the cap doesn't have a "spike" to keep the seal from spinning. So we were thinking that the cap was maybe setup for the neoprene seal
Are all the 351m main caps this way?
#3
George Reid's book on the "Ford 351 Cleveland Engines", which includes the M/400, has a picture on Page 22 of the rear main and says "Clevelands were originally fitted with rope rear main seals secured by a pin in this location. Check your main cap and remove this pin if it's still there. If you forget the pin it distorts the new neoprene half-seal."
And I've looked my two blocks and cranks over closely, finding that both my 70's era 400 and the '81 351M both had knurled cranks and came from the factory with the neoprene 2-piece seals. Further, Rusty's '81 M is running a 2-piece rear main seal with no pin.
Does that help?
And I've looked my two blocks and cranks over closely, finding that both my 70's era 400 and the '81 351M both had knurled cranks and came from the factory with the neoprene 2-piece seals. Further, Rusty's '81 M is running a 2-piece rear main seal with no pin.
Does that help?
#4
#5
No, Rusty nor either of the two blocks on engine stands (70's 400 and '81 M) have pins. Both of the ones on the stands came with the two-part neoprene seal, but I don't know about Rusty as he'd been rebuilt by the time I got him. However, he is running a two-part neoprene seal with no pin - I pulled that engine apart when I got it to determine what I have.
#6
Ok, I wasn't sure which seal to use. I'm going to go with the rubber one.
In my previous discussion in the 73-79 forum there was some confusion about the crank being setup for a rope style seal (which I guess means the knurling) and the crank being setup for a neoprene seal (with the crank being smooth).
Does the knurling on the crank mean it should use a rope seal? If all of your engines came from the factory with the knurling and with the neoprene seal then I guess not.
I'm still puzzled about when Ford stopped using the pin caps and the rope seals.
They still offer both types of seals. A lot of the threads I've pulled up about rear main seals in these motors they were dealing with taking out stock rope seals, taking the pin out and caulking the hole, and then converting to the neoprene seal. Then the seal leaking a little, forever So, I'm thinking why would they switch to a rubber one? For an easier install? Seems like I'd rather have an oil free driveway for a couple extra minutes during install.
In my previous discussion in the 73-79 forum there was some confusion about the crank being setup for a rope style seal (which I guess means the knurling) and the crank being setup for a neoprene seal (with the crank being smooth).
Does the knurling on the crank mean it should use a rope seal? If all of your engines came from the factory with the knurling and with the neoprene seal then I guess not.
I'm still puzzled about when Ford stopped using the pin caps and the rope seals.
They still offer both types of seals. A lot of the threads I've pulled up about rear main seals in these motors they were dealing with taking out stock rope seals, taking the pin out and caulking the hole, and then converting to the neoprene seal. Then the seal leaking a little, forever So, I'm thinking why would they switch to a rubber one? For an easier install? Seems like I'd rather have an oil free driveway for a couple extra minutes during install.
#7
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