Finally got a stubborn 6.7 Powerstroke crank seal to seat after three tries and a trick with a heat gun

This was on a 2015 F-350 in the bay last week. The new seal kept walking out just a hair when you tapped it in, enough to leak. After the second failure, I remembered something an old timer said once. I warmed the aluminum housing with a heat gun for about two minutes, just until it was uncomfortable to touch. Froze the new seal in the shop freezer for 20 minutes. The temperature difference made it drop right in with a solid thunk, no walking at all. Let it normalize for an hour before starting. Has anyone else used a similar trick on press fits, or is there a better way you've found?

2 comments

2 Comments

paigec142d ago

Honestly that's a solid old school trick. I read a forum post once where a guy used dry ice on the seal itself for a really stubborn rear main. The extreme cold makes the metal contract just enough to slide in without fighting it.

charlie_roberts872d ago

Wow, that's actually for the bearing, not the seal itself!