Is there a specific depth the front main seal of the transmission be installed to?

Knock it in flush. The release bearing guide tube will push it in to the correct depth.

The Cap'n

so it should be flush with the top of the flange that the bearing guide mates to?

SOB! I think I drove it in too far!

Why would you push it in past the face? I cannot think of any application where the seal is anything other than flush with the face.

There are TWO different faces you could refer to in this instance.

The first being the face where the bearing guide mated to, which, if you look, will leave about half of the seal out of the hole it is driven into.

The second is the face of the hole the seal gets driven into.

Push it in so that it lies below the plain of the hub that the throw out bearing tube lies on. Dont rely on the tube to push it in as it can deform the seal a bit. If you pushed it in so it is flush with the second step, dont worry. You didnt need to, but it is fine.

Thank's DR,

On my original refresh of this tranny, I drove the seal in to the depth of the bearing face and it leaked. On the main shaft, there is a smooth flat that I thought both sealing surfaces of the seal should ride on. That's the reason I drove it down to the second step.

It sounds like I can leave it there, so I will leave it.

Keith

Keith, I think you should be okay. I normally go by what I see before I take things apart; IE whatever the factory did, I try to duplicate. When the unit is no longer a virgin, then things do become difficult.