Lower crankcase seal installation

[emilkob]

I have a 1988 20HP (J20ECCA). I want to replace the seal in the lower crankcase head (398050). The old seal (319664) had a metal jacket and was installed flush with the flange. The new replacement seal (398051) does not have the metal jacket, and came with a note that you cannot use use the old install tool as it will seat the seal incorrectly. The new tool (333520) is $93, a bit much for one use. I don’t have either tool, but was originally thinking that I would install the new seal flush with the flange, like the old, until I saw the note. Can anyone tell me the dimensions of the new tool, or how the new seal needs to be installed in relation to the flange face?

 

[timguy]

Depending on seal design, the non jacketed seal should fit slightly below the flange. Be sure to avoid using ethanol, it will damage your seal over time.

 

[emilkob]

Thanks Timguy,

I ended up measuring where the wear line was on the shaft (from the bottom of the bearing and calculated how the seal needed to be seated. It ended up being “ slightly below the flange”.