Search your email for my name and the word "flange" or "seal." I dealt with
the same issue on my diesel. Rebuilt an engine a while back with a scored
seal, thinking it wouldn't matter. It did. It always kept my hatch dirty.

When I rebuilt an engine with that same crankshaft, I did not press the
seal in as far as the old one, so that the lips of the seal are riding on
the un-scored part of the flange. It doesn't leak.

Several other people pointed out that you can get the crank turned and buy
seals to fit the new diameter, and you can buy press-on pieces to return
the crank to standard diameter after turning and use the stock seal.

It was all discussed in detail.

If you uwant to go my easy route and offset the seal, you can cut some
gasket material to the right size and make a packing to go behind the seal
if you cannot get the assembly into a press, i.e. the engine is in the car
or it is already assembled in the stand.

Jim

On Fri, May 10, 2013 at 7:03 AM, Jeff Lincoln <magikvw@gmail.com> wrote:

> OK, I think I'm on the downside of this clutch replacement adventure - got
> what was left of the pilot bearing out yesterday.
>
> Here is my next question - I've heard the warnings when removing the
> flywheel seal (rear main seal) that you want to be sure not to score the
> case. Well, I'm not sure if it was me (I tried to be very careful) or if it
> was already there but I see where the surface the seal meets if scored
> kinda gouged in one spot.
> You can see it here: *http://tinyurl.com/dywks7q*
> So what, if anything can/should I do about that?
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff
> '85 GL (Gertie)
> '78 Bus (Melissa) Patty's Bus
>