440 rear main seal... thoughts

crank knurled? and a good knurl, use rope. NOS asbestos for a tractor off ebay...(the seller doesn't know its asbestos, 60s freguson or ford)

or use gland packing...Gland packing Graphite shaft and stem usage (various sizes) | eBay
cheaper to buy it in bulk rather than pay $30 - $60 for 2 small pices in a parts store bag.
check max rotational speed before purchase you need the reinforced stuff.

not knurled, the oil pushing part is the profiled lip on the rubber seal

A profiled lip on a rubber seal and a GOOD knurl on the crank togteher will wear each other out.

when i can be botherd my next seal change will involve one of these viton 1 piece seals for a pontiac from here

5th product down, choose the closesest size

BOP Engineering Engine Accessories

Yes its the wrong size for most of us
but it has a split in the spring steel centre where you cut through the rubber to fit it to the motor.

if thats the case it can be shortend by pulling back the rubber and usuing a hacksaw or cut off wheel

have got one
have cut one
have checked that that pontiac V8 spins the same way, so the lines on the seal lip do infact drive oil back in and not OUT
have checked i can coil it down to an appropriate diameter for my crank 2.75 inch without the lip puckering
all good so far

i have just failed to get the motor out of the car and fit the thing

have asked the owner of the company to do some for mopars in mopar sizes and he said no. He wont sell stuff he has not tested for a motor that he knows little about.
Fair enough said I

obvioulsy you put the single split in the seal at the top.....!
initial fitment with gap at the cap for checking, then turn it round once you have put sealeant in cap and block.

you can also replicate the lines on the rubber seal in 1 place across the rear most bearing

i.e see which way the lines on the seal go and make 1 small groove in the same direction and at same angle across the upper bearing shell before the the oil hole...
if you were oil, stood on the journal you pass out of the oil hole, go on a journey right round the 2 bearings shells and just before you reach the oil hole again you hit the new groove and get slung out the front side of the bearing

minimal impact on bearing surface area but biases the oil spray from that journal away from the seal, more oil will come out the front side than the back side. which may or may not be a good thing.... how much life a seal has may be dictated by how oily it gets. i dont know....

Dave