Anyone have any tips on installing the timing cover seal on a smally (the seal around the crank snout).

My timing cover gasket kit came with a think felt washer...is that to cushin the timign cover while I drive in the seal????

Thanks,

Jsson

I'm assuming old style cover where seal goes in from the rear. Put some sealer in the well OD and smear some vaseline generously around the spring in the seal to keep it from popping off and put something circular/flat on the seal to distribute the load esp as you are driving on the open face of the seal as it goes in backwards and press (best) or drive it in w as few strokes as possible (use a BFH)and a drift centered on the flat/circular piece of stock you use EDIT the felt is not for that, need a descrip/pic of it

I've never seen an OEM application that used the felt ring. Most of my SB experience is with late 60's to mid '70's, and none of them used felt. My guess is the felt is for early SB, '64-67?

I picked up a 273 car that leaked out front pretty bad. Took balancer off and found the felt seal laying there, never seen one of those things. Upon looking at seal, found it to be ruined as it had been installed backwards by a previous genious. The felt was hokey in that location because it did not clamp tightly enough against lower sprocket IMO.