Brother... I am sure you will get a lot of opinions on this and a lot of suggestions. Some will say neoprene is fine for knurled or smooth cranks...others will swear by rope with knurling. You will be given 10 different ways to seal the sides of the retainer. Some may suggest billet retainers most will say the originals are fine. Some will suggest shavin the retainer down .01.
This is a post from another site and worth reading:
Here's something for you guys to watch out for if you assemble your own engines.
I wasn't gonna post this, dunno if there is a need or not.
Anyways, I just can't be small minded enough to believe, that something I know, should be kept to myself, just because I'm "in the business", or,
that I may have "proprietary" reasons with certain individuals on this Site, NOT to dosclose for ALL to benefit.
I just ain't built that way !
That just wouldn't be in the what I'll call "spirit", of a bunch of Old Mopar lovers plunk'in away on a keyboard on this Site.
We should be here to SHARE, and HELP each other !
That has to be the bottom line for my presence here as well.
Anyways, put it under "TECH", or wherever it "fits".
We'll leave the specifics of block castings, date of manu, casting plant info, out of this discussion. Suffice to say, that could be a NOVEL unto itself, and I'm always too long-winded anyways.
Let's just say checking "this", should be on everyones list during assembly of all BB Mopars.
We've seen it on dozens of BB Mopars with REAR MAIN LEAKS, after assembling Hundreds.
There exists a manufacturing defect in many BB castings, in that the groove that holds the Rear Main Seal in the Block, is "offset", or rather, NOT CONCENTRIC with the Crankshaft Centerline(mains).
It can be very subtle, or obvious, and a standout to the eye at first glance when you been doing them awhile.
Obviously, if the Rear Main Seal half is installed in these "off-center" blocks, depending upon the degree of the defect in the particular block, the Lip seal compression on one side, (typically the Passenger side of the Block from factory), is insufficient, resulting in a delayed Oil Leak, until the Oil temp increases sufficiently to warm and deflect the neoprene seal.
The "FIX", involves firstly, looking for & recognizing this defect before you get a puddle on the floor. That is why during assembly it must be checked. Put in on your "TO DO" list !
We've forgot about it, and had "oily Shoe-sees" a few times over the decades !
Install The rear main lip seal half in the block "flush" with the cap parting line.
Install the Crank.
If your Lip Seal compression on one side, is less than the other under close inspection with a light, with the Crank in the block, you have a potential for a leaky main.
Gently, using a small screwdriver, GENTLY, insert it behind the offending side of poor compression, and "eyeball" the amount required to equal Lip compression "side to side".
DO NOT damage the back of the seal with the screwdriver. It doesn't take much.
Record the amount required to move the lip seal into equal compression.
Now dis-assemble.
Re-assemble this time, with the Block side Rear Seal lip half protruding approx. 1/4" above the parting line on the offending side.
Reverse the same Seal offset installation in the Retainer.
Now use the Retainer when installing, to CAPTURE and DRAG the offending poor contact side over into proper seal lip compression, the same amount as you recorded earlier, as you Tighten & Torque the Seal Retianer into place.
Silicon up the sides of the Seal Retainer to the Block, deleting the paper inserts. (The paper side inserts probably won't go in anyways due to the Retainer offset installation)
Sometimes it's the SIMPLE things that cause alot of headaches, later, after assembly.
Just something to "watch out for".
I'll check with Brandon at 440source, I dunno if he's run into this or not ?
Might be a good "piece of paper" to include in his kits with the Cranks he sells.
Many Oil leaks probably aren't his Cranks fault.
But it might lessen some Customer perception headaches for him.
Thats it, Thats all,
I said my peace,
And yet another post from another site:
Persistent rear main leaks are usually the result of worn, pitted or degraded parts; the usual culprits are the main caps or crankshaft. If the crankshaft has any burrs on it, the seal will have a very short life. If the block has experienced many rebuilds and the main caps have been machined excessively, it is very possible that the seal groove in the cap and the block are not aligned correctly. When main caps are cut, the block is align-honed or align-bored, which will make each crank journal true to size and in line with the others. The procedure does not impact the relationship of the seal groove, though. The result can be a properly clearanced crankshaft that is actually sitting away from the rear main seal on one side. If this occurs, the engine will leak for sure.
Good luck man. But as an aside...If you are running a 496 stroker I assume you are running a solid roller cam? If so a high pressure oil pump should be employed to help keep it lubricated properly. That additional pressure isn't going to help anything. But also, a 7 qt pan you should probably have anyway. Unless you run it low the net result will be the same.
