The problem is this:
I didn't pay attention to how the crank seal sat in the housing prior to taking it out, and now I'm not sure what it is suppposed to look like. As it is now, the very front of the seal (from front of the back of the engine to the front) is sitting just a wee bit above the bore on the oil pump. I've tapped and tapped at it with my pipe and hammer, but it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Is this normal, and furthermore, if it is not normal, will it cause any problems?

I guess this will teach me to pay attention when I'm tearing something down in the future...

 

Or take lots of pics. Maybe the 93 FSM will be some help: http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b...fsm/index.html

 

I think I found your answer, look here: http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b...ne/69cylin.pdf and go down to EG2-114 should be page 25 of 44.

 

I've been tapping at it for quite a while now, and it isn't moving at all. Here are some photos of the problem area:




It looks more pronounced in the pictures- but it definately isn't "flush" even after tap-tap-tapping on it all day long.

 

I guess this is the front seal huh?

 

whoops! I failed to mention that!

Anyway, I went ahead and put it back together as it is, I'm going to fire her up and see what the result is. It's not THAT much work to get back in there, so I'll just do it again if it turns out that it is leaky. I've got a couple extra seals on hand (but we'll cross our fingers that we don't need them right?)

 

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

 

So far, so good. I've been driving it since last night and we haven't had a single drop of oil on the ground anywhere I park. I put cardboard down underneath to check when I go in anywhere, and it looks as though I'm good-to-go... but time will tell.

 

I bet that's a relief

 

You have no idea...

I do, however, have a crate of oil in the back of the truck along with 4 gallons of 50/50 coolant mix. Since I did the water pump while I was in there, I am a bit paranoid that something will go wrong--- you know the drill.

Like I learned in Boy Scouts: "Be Prepared!"