Thread: IIA front cover main oil seal - which direction to shove it in?

I would suggest not using a socket but a flat piece of steel or perhaps a good flat piece of wood to gently tap the front seal into the housing from the front. If you have a press that you can use it would possibly do a better job, this is of course if you have not installed the housing to the motor first.
When installing seals it can be helpful to apply something like Permatex gasket cement to the outer surface to assist in reducing friction and assist with sealing outer surfaces. Also a film of grease on the inner sealing lips to prevent them being burnt at startup, it can take time for the engine to splash oil to the seal at initial start.

Thanks for the info. Sounds like a good plan from a peer review
I'll use the 'from the front' method as you suggest. I see now that doing it from the back restricts the angle of dangle for hammer applications and more chance of stuff ups
I have some Loctite xxx 'seal retaining compound' I used for the core plugs and will use assembly lube smeared on the inner lip.

Somewhere in some LR forum I read that you can avoid running the new seal lip in the old groove on the crank pulley shaft by driving the seal in 'just' a bit further in than flush.
Have you heard of success with this - or at least no disastrous failures?
cheers.
N

Originally Posted by Gippslander

I would suggest not using a socket but a flat piece of steel or perhaps a good flat piece of wood to gently tap the front seal into the housing from the front. If you have a press that you can use it would possibly do a better job, this is of course if you have not installed the housing to the motor first.
When installing seals it can be helpful to apply something like Permatex gasket cement to the outer surface to assist in reducing friction and assist with sealing outer surfaces. Also a film of grease on the inner sealing lips to prevent them being burnt at startup, it can take time for the engine to splash oil to the seal at initial start.