351W RR Seals

If it is smooth/polished you can use a automotive rear main seal available at any parts store.
Fel-Pro sells these and they are available at every parts store.
In 1984 Ford switched to a one piece rear main seal mid year.
Yours is either a two piece seal or a one piece full round design.
You need to see it to order a new one.
The one piece part # BS40509 started in July of 1983
The Two piece part # is BS40042
The TIming cover seal comes in a set: TCS 45450
These are Fel-Pro part numbers.
There is a listed PTFE Teflon part listed for the one piece rear seal but you can't use it. It wont work with reverse rotation engines.. These are a better design but they are threaded for standard rotation only. BS40645

If your surface is not smooth/polished you might need to clean it up with emery cloth or invest in a Spedi Sleeve to cover with a new surface.

I think the Wick lines you refer to are the Helix lines on the crankshaft, looks like \\\\\\\\\ all the way around the crank. Designed to direct oil back into the oil pan.

I have not idea where the name came from but Crank Shaft grinders refer to that type crankshaft as with Helix or without. Without is just a polished crank face like all the other journals.

Thanks, I had heard the term so many times I accepted it as fact. Never looked it up.

Mallory has a reverse rotation seal as well.
Works good lot cheaper than the other one

i had to deal with this earlier with my rebuild. my crank was smooth so had to find one piece seal for 351 Reverse Rotation.   Found a source that supplies engine builders. if needed i can dig it out of my receipts.   Some place out of CA.

MrMcD wrote: If it is smooth/polished you can use a automotive rear main seal available at any parts store. Fel-Pro sells these and they are available at every parts store. In 1984 Ford switched to a one piece rear main seal mid year. Yours is either a two piece seal or a one piece full round design. You need to see it to order a new one. The one piece part # BS40509 started in July of 1983 The Two piece part # is BS40042 The TIming cover seal comes in a set: TCS 45450 These are Fel-Pro part numbers. There is a listed PTFE Teflon part listed for the one piece rear seal but you can't use it. It wont work with reverse rotation engines.. These are a better design but they are threaded for standard rotation only. BS40645 If your surface is not smooth/polished you might need to clean it up with emery cloth or invest in a Spedi Sleeve to cover with a new surface.

If the seal has directional wick lines you might want the special Summit seal.

Wilhelm Hertzog wrote: The seal that came with the TCS45450 kit does appear to have directional wick lines - see below. So I guess I'll have to get the special reverse rotation seal?

 link.  to SKF seal

Duane in Indy wrote:  Heck,  I even remember a guy that sanded the direction lines off of a seal one time!!!

Seriously? If that will work I'm going to give it a shot...

So I managed to get hold of the SKF CR18562 seal for a very reasonable price. While the key dimensions do match (as Ken pointed out), the seal certainly looks very different than the one that came with the TCS45450 kit. Will it work nonetheless? Ken?

Great, thanks Ken.

Just to wrap this thread (or at least my discussions in the thread) up: I did install the SKF CR18562 seal (I also fitted a speedi sleeve to the harmonic balancer), and it's been working fine - no signs of leaking so far.