12valve@heart

I'm SURE that this must have been covered somewhere but I haven't been able to find it so I'll ask it here.

I've got the transmission out and the rear main out. My question is how you have cleaned the crank before replacing the seal. Do you remove the adaptor plate or just work thru the small crack where the seal goes around the crank?

apwatson50

You need to remove the adapter plate, makes it much easier to work with. Install new seal in adapter plate, then install the plate.

bgilbert

Since you've already got the flywheel off, might as well pull the engine to trans adaptor plate. I leave the rear cover on, unless it's leaking, because you can open a new can of worms by removing that. You'd need a new rear cover gasket, and if you damage your oil pan gasket removing it, then you're looking at a new one, plus the drama of oil pan R&R.

Brake cleaner or, I use starter fluid all the time, along with compressed air will get that crank surface clean with the rear cover in place.

wannadiesel

CRC brand QD Electrical Contact Cleaner is great stuff for surfaces that have to be clean and oil free. That's what Cummins recommends for cleaning between the IP shaft and drive gear on the P-pumped engines. A couple shots of that stuff (wait a couple minutes between shots) and the crank will be very oil free.