1pc rear main seal install

[Tom]

Im replacing the rear main seal in my 98 while the transmission is out. Well, I'm trying to. Getting it out was easy, back on not so much. I've now bent the lip on two seals. I'm using the plastic install sleeve supplied with the gasket, its fel-pro. Any ideas what exactly I could be doing wrong? Tips on installing? I watched the youtube videos and don't see anything different from what I'm doing.....

[kwmech]

They press in really tight, getting the lip of the seal over the crank is the easy part. GM has a special tool that threads into the back of the crank and a T handle to press the seal in. That's all the help I've got

[AussieinNC]

I use a slightly modified section of 4" pvc pipe ( from plumbing supply section of Lowes or Home Depot) about four inches long as a driver to set the seal....you have to use a die grinder to open the end of the PVC a little so the seal will seat properly.

I then place a piece of 2x6 across the other end of the pvc tube to act as a hammer surface.

If I am building an engine on a stand I press the seal into the carrier using the same pipe and block....

They can be a beast to install sometimes...I've also machined a very small angle cut on the bore of the holder...no more than 1/16" to allow the seal to start without binding on the housing.

Hope this helps...

[Tom]

Turns out the plastic sleeve wasn't seating over the entire crank lip...I thought i was hitting the limiting things built into the sleeve, from my angle laying on the ground that's what I saw too, just didn't see the bottem not fitting. A little dremel to the plastic sleeve and it slipped right on no problem.