Rear Main Seal Replacement - Scratched Crankshaft

[davhaney]

So.. Longtime lurker and first-time poster:

 

I am replacing the clutch in my 1999 Legacy Outback, and decided while I'm in there, I would replace the (plastic) oil collector plate and rear main seal. So far, so good.. right?

 

Somehow, while removing the rear main seal, I have scratched the crankshaft where the seal mates. This poses an obvious problem.

 

I was thinking of gently removing the burr using a dremmel tool on low speed, then polishing throughly with fine emery cloth.

 

* Is this the correct approach?

* How smooth does the surface of the crankshaft need to be?

 

Any thoughts or constructive criticism is welcome.

[screwbaru2]

I've used just emery cloth in the past. Has long as it's not gouged it should be ok. If it that bad you think a dremel tool is required it may be too deep.

Without seeing it's tough to tell. Even then its a crap shoot if its close.

[davhaney]

  screwbaru2 said:

I've used just emery cloth in the past. Has long as it's not gouged it should be ok. If it that bad you think a dremel tool is required it may be too deep.

Without seeing it's tough to tell. Even then its a crap shoot if its close.

 

Thanks for the input. So how deep is too deep?

[GeneralDisorder]

If you can catch a fingernail on it, it's too deep.

 

Emery cloth (mechanics cloth) should clean it up. If not you might just have to live with a little seepage.

 

If you really, really want to fix it, then I would reccomend one of the Devcon products.... I would probably go with this stuff:

 

http://www.devcon.com/devconfamilyproduct.cfm?familyid=109&catid=15

 

GD

[CNY_Dave]

For older US cars, you could get a sleeve you'd glue to the crank to fix cranks that were grooved by the seal after years of use.

 

Maybe someone makes that for subies?

 

 

Dave

[mdjdc]

They do make them for subies. For ea82 engines as least. I've used one before and it worked great.

[screwbaru2]

Those slevees are the way to go. nice to know they make em for soobies.:cool: worked really well on the gm small blocks I used em on,

[Setright]

Stick with emery cloth. Dremel will probably remove too much material.

 

Scratches that run length wise are the worst.

[86BRATMAN]

  screwbaru2 said:

Those slevees are the way to go. nice to know they make em for soobies.:cool: worked really well on the gm small blocks I used em on,

 

I don't think they are make specific as much as size.