The Ford Barn

John Spragg · 06-03-2022, 07:11 PM

Does anyone have experience in machining the crankshaft and replacing it with the new rear main seal? Does it work well, is it worth doing also the front crank seal does that work well? Are they both worth doing to prevent oil leaks which bug me to no end. John, Australia.

Y-Blockhead · 06-03-2022, 07:31 PM

When I had my engine rebuilt a few years ago they install a modern seal. I believe it was made by Burtz? It still weeps a little so I have a Janitor installed. Thread on Janitor https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=314050

For the front I use the stock type rope seal but I have a Murray Horn Harmonic Balancer with a reverse scroll and it does wonders for the seal weeping. Murray Horn is in New Zealand.

Chuck Sea/Tac · 06-03-2022, 08:42 PM

As I understand, the scroll is factory on V8 pulleys. It does work well.

Synchro909 · 06-03-2022, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Spragg

Does anyone have experience in machining the crankshaft and replacing it with the new rear main seal? Does it work well, is it worth doing also the front crank seal does that work well? Are they both worth doing to prevent oil leaks which bug me to no end. John, Australia.

John, Steve at Edge Machining at Dookie is doing a couple of rear seals at the moment. He is fitting a rope seal. It could be worth your while to check with him.
I have been using the modern style seal at the front for years with great success. That said, the rope seal is fine also, IMO

nkaminar · 06-04-2022, 06:51 AM

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In my experience, the old style rope seal works better in the front than a modern style lip seal. The front of the Model A engine is not designed for the lip seal and it has to be glued in. The rope seals you buy now are, I think, Teflon coated.

For the rear, my old engine used a Chevy V8 lip seal which was worn out and leaking when I took the engine apart. Burtz uses a lip seal in the rear which seems to work OK but leave the spring in. The original labyrinth seal in the rear works OK if there is not excessive oil from a loose rear bearing.

06-03-2022, 07:11 PM	#1
John Spragg Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 58	Rear main and front crank seal for 1930 A Does anyone have experience in machining the crankshaft and replacing it with the new rear main seal? Does it work well, is it worth doing also the front crank seal does that work well? Are they both worth doing to prevent oil leaks which bug me to no end. John, Australia.

06-03-2022, 07:31 PM	#2
Y-Blockhead Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 6,652	Re: Rear main and front crank seal for 1930 A When I had my engine rebuilt a few years ago they install a modern seal. I believe it was made by Burtz? It still weeps a little so I have a Janitor installed. Thread on Janitor https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=314050 For the front I use the stock type rope seal but I have a Murray Horn Harmonic Balancer with a reverse scroll and it does wonders for the seal weeping. Murray Horn is in New Zealand.

06-03-2022, 08:42 PM	#3
Chuck Sea/Tac Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Between Seattle & Tacoma Posts: 2,411	Re: Rear main and front crank seal for 1930 A As I understand, the scroll is factory on V8 pulleys. It does work well.

06-04-2022, 06:51 AM	#5
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 5,872	Re: Rear main and front crank seal for 1930 A Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) In my experience, the old style rope seal works better in the front than a modern style lip seal. The front of the Model A engine is not designed for the lip seal and it has to be glued in. The rope seals you buy now are, I think, Teflon coated. For the rear, my old engine used a Chevy V8 lip seal which was worn out and leaking when I took the engine apart. Burtz uses a lip seal in the rear which seems to work OK but leave the spring in. The original labyrinth seal in the rear works OK if there is not excessive oil from a loose rear bearing. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.