In a post below, Pierre had trouble installing the rear main seal without distortion in the rear seal housing. I have also had this trouble. The problem is, the seal is large and it's internal metal frame wants to distort when it is pressed into place when it is not pressed on equally around it's perimeter. I was just doing one and needed something of just the right diameter to support the seal, yet fit just inside the seal housing. I had just dismantled two early B230FT engines and one of the timing gears looked just about the right size. In less than five minutes with my grinder I removed the teeth from the timing gear and if fit quite well for the job. The picture below shows the modified timing gear being used to press the seal into the housing. That is a Volvo front seal tool alo shown in the picture.



The seal pressed in more on one side than the other, so I shifted the seal housing in the bench vice to press the one side of the seal in as much as the other side was pressed in.


When you install the rear main seal on the engine you can usually start one side of the seal over the crankshaft and work the seal over it. If you are not careful, the lip of the seal can turn over and you end up with a huge leak (yes, it has happened to me). I use a small flat blade screwdriver with NO SHARP EDGES as a guide tool to work the seal over the crankshaft. I dip the screwdriver in engine oil before I get it near the seal.