[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by grandprixaust

if the crank was freshly machined would that mean it would have a smoother surface for the lip seal ?

No. No crank grinder I know has a thin enough grinding wheel to do the sealing surface.

Some cranks are deliberately stamped with a pattern of "hash marks" that looks like
/ / / / / / / / / / / /
all around the sealing surface; that helps the rope seal do it's job; but it's not good for lip seals. I polish the hash marks (if they exist) with emery cloth to smooth them some. You'll never polish them completely away. Other times, the rubber lip wears a groove in the crankshaft just like the front seal can wear a groove in the hub of the damper. Then you either need a special seal that has a re-positioned lip; or you're back to packing rope.