Thread: Front oil seal...which way?

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I'm new to small block fords, and I'm just rebuilding my first 302.
My (naive) question is, which way does the front crank seal go in the timing cover?
The seal I have has a spiral spring tensioner, as common to many oil seals. If I insert the seal from the block side of the timing cover, then this ring ends up to the outside of the engine. Is that the right way?
Or do you put the oil seal in from the balancer side of the timing cover?
I know that the seal lip on a small block chevy points inwards to the engine, but on the seal I have there are two lips, that point to each other.

Seal goes in from the front.

Spring toward the motor.

Originally Posted by techinspector1

Spring toward the motor.

Always! Toward the inside of anything

Pat

The easy way, beside the ways Dave S, Denny and Tech said is that the sharp edge always goes towards the liquid being held back no matter where.

And most likely you will need the sleeve as Denney said as there is probably a groove worn on the damper shaft. They are only about $7-8. You will probably have to dress the seal surface down before you try to install the sleeve. Use some fine wet 'n' dry (220 - 320 grit) sand paper.

Thanks for the advice guys!