knurling on crank for rear main seal

[adk-roadrunner]

Hey guys so I'm finally in the process of assembling my 440 for my 73 roadrunner. I was in the shop yesterday cleaning things and using plastig age to check my clearances when I noticed the knurling on the crank where the rear main rides. The original crank was cast and was gonna need work anyways so my machinist got me a forged crank instead. I never even noticed until yesterday that it had the knurling. I was already nervous about installing the rear main but now after researching I'm even worse. I already have a felpro gasket set with the black rubber upper and lower seals and the rtv and wet pipe cleaners for the sides. I've read some people like these and some don't but now I'm also reading you have to use rope gaskets on cranks with the knurling. I'm so confused lol I just want to put it together and not have to tear it down again because of leaks.

 

[MarPar]

 

[benno440]

the knurling is to force oil away from the seal.
follow this instruction and it should not leak.
out of 5 rear main seal swaps I finally tried this procedure and it no longer leaks

http://www.hughesengines.com/Upload...in_Seal_Installation_InstructionsJune2006.pdf

 

[Photon440]

And if you ever come across a crank that is knurled in the opposite direction, you know you found one from a reverse rotation marine engine. It'll leak if you use it normally.

 

[Meep-Meep]

I'm of the opinion that the knurl is for a rope seal because you don't want to run them dry. I have done both - use a rope seal and a lip seal over the knurl and never had much issue. However, if using the lip seal it's best to polish off the knurl. Your leak possibilities are more likely from the seal cap where it meets the block and not only the sides but also around the bolt holes. Use The Right Stuff RTV and apply a thin film right up to the seal and including the mating halves on the seal itself. The operative work is thin or just enough to fill small voids when the cap is tightened. You don't want a bunch of squeeze out.

 

[383man]

I'm of the opinion that the knurl is for a rope seal because you don't want to run them dry. I have done both - use a rope seal and a lip seal over the knurl and never had much issue. However, if using the lip seal it's best to polish off the knurl. Your leak possibilities are more likely from the seal cap where it meets the block and not only the sides but also around the bolt holes. Use The Right Stuff RTV and apply a thin film right up to the seal and including the mating halves on the seal itself. The operative work is thin or just enough to fill small voids when the cap is tightened. You don't want a bunch of squeeze out.

I agree with this. Use the rope type seal with the knurl as it will work best on the knurled cranks and can work fine. But make sure the knurl is going the right way as marine cranks can turn in the oppisite direction and then the knurl would make it leak instead of throwing tho oil in the other direction off the knurl. I also agree if you use the lip seal I would have the knurl polished off. Good luck , Ron

 

[Big D A12]

Good luck. I finally threw in the towel on mine. Below is my saga.

Definitely use the Hughes procedure.

D

http://a12mopar.com/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1424822394/0

 

[adk-roadrunner]

I have to say I'm feeling even more intimidated now lol. Leave it to a mopar to have some complicated procedure to do something that is a simple for other manufacturers. I definitely gotta go look at the direction of the knurling on the crank looks like it needs to be rotating clockwise outward towards the front with snout aiming away from you. The link that was posted seems very helpful they seem to be using the rubber seals on the knurling. Am I correct in the sides they are using are the orange seals sold by 440 source.

 

[adk-roadrunner]

Well the knurling goes in the right direction that's a plus lol

 

[benno440]

the seals are the hughes version in that instructions, you don't need the rope seal if you don't want, just follow the above instructions and all will be good