Scratched crank where rear main seal sits

[Johnnyboiranger22]

Hey guys so during my rear main seal replacement for preventive maint before swapping engine in my truck one of my screw did a scratch of the crank. Scratch is very very small but deep enough to barely catch my finger nail. I did not see any ridged edges at all or sharp spots. Should i do a repair sleeve or try to sand it down a tiny bit or should it be fine?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

If it catches your fingernail it will rip the seal to shreds. While it's out, and for the time and cost involved, I would do a repair sleeve.

I pulled the engine from my motorhome last year and replaced the seal. Somehow I screwed up and it's leaking. I'm not looking forward to pulling the engine again.

 

[adsm08]

Yup, Speedi-sleeve it.

 

[Johnnyboiranger22]

Advance Auto Parts - Down for Maintenance

This seems to be the correct part right?

 

[adsm08]

Looks like it.

 

[Johnnyboiranger22]

Thanks! Im going to pick it up this morning.

 

[Johnnyboiranger22]

Engine should be running no later then Saturday

 

[tomw]

I guess I'm lazy, so I would likely get some emery cloth, make a complete wrap around the seal surface, holding the two ends together in my hand, and sweep the emery cloth 'wrap' back and forth, rotate 1/4 turn, repeat, and do that for a full 4 sections. Remove the emery, wipe with oily rag, and look to see if the scratch was still visible. If you BARELY can feel the scratch, emery cloth should take off the edges that would damage a seal.
Many times, a seal will cause a groove to be formed in the crankshaft, drive shaft, or axle seal area. You can use emery cloth to smooth these areas with good results. I have never used any of the sleeve products. When I had an axle seal the didn't want to work, even after polishing with emery, I just replaced the seal, and left it 1/16" out from the previous seal to change the sealing area with no ill effect.
tom

 

[adsm08]

I guess I'm lazy, so I would likely get some emery cloth, make a complete wrap around the seal surface, holding the two ends together in my hand, and sweep the emery cloth 'wrap' back and forth, rotate 1/4 turn, repeat, and do that for a full 4 sections. Remove the emery, wipe with oily rag, and look to see if the scratch was still visible. If you BARELY can feel the scratch, emery cloth should take off the edges that would damage a seal.
Many times, a seal will cause a groove to be formed in the crankshaft, drive shaft, or axle seal area. You can use emery cloth to smooth these areas with good results. I have never used any of the sleeve products. When I had an axle seal the didn't want to work, even after polishing with emery, I just replaced the seal, and left it 1/16" out from the previous seal to change the sealing area with no ill effect.
tom

I have used these repair sleeve, and what you did is so much more work.

 

[Johnnyboiranger22]

This is a sleeve i got for 11bucks at auto zone seems to be the right size. I was actually going to do that Tom but my nerves are shot I would have been worry about it every single day and whether the seal would tear apart. Since I'm pulling engine for last time (hopefully) and just put a sleeve and call it a day shoving back in and see how she runs.

 

[Bird76Mojo]

There are also offset double lipped seals available for some engines. That's what I put in my 5.0 to cure any future leaks..

 

[Dirtman]

I probably installed over 200 speedi sleeves on chevy 350 harmonic balancers alone when I worked at advance auto as a kid... I cant even look at one of those stupid things without wanting to murder someone.

 

[Snoranger]

I probably installed over 200 speedi sleeves on chevy 350 harmonic balancers alone when I worked at advance auto as a kid... I cant even look at one of those stupid things without wanting to murder someone.

Which stupid things, Chevy 350s or speedi-sleeves?

 

[Shran]

I've done exactly what you did and scratched parts before... I did like Tom said and used emery cloth. But it's a case by case basis - I'd probably sleeve a big hideous gaping gash.

With that in mind, speedi-sleeves are not always the cats meow. I just rebuilt a 205 transfer case that had one yoke sleeved. The seal had worn through not only the sleeve but had started eating into a second spot on the yoke. It was pretty gnarly.