Ford 200 Rubber vs. Rope Rear Main Seal

This is my first post here so I apologize if this has been discussed before. I looked and I couldn't find anything.

Anyway . . . What are your thoughts about using a rope or a rubber rear main seal on a Ford 200?

I'm rebuilding the 200 out of my 1966 Mustang convertible. I've put the rope seal in the block and the bearing cap twice now and each time when I torque the bolts down it makes it so tight that the crank will barely turn. I can tell that that cap is not sitting totally flat against the block and is causing a bind on the crank. Do the rubber seals (felpro 30135) fit better and get rid of that binding issue?

Any help would be appreciated.
Chris

Use the rubber seal. It's better than the rope.

First, drive out the pin in the cap that holds the rope seal. Offset the new seal so that the ends are not aligned with the cap and block interface. Make sure the seal lip is oriented the right way with the lip facing inward. Just a tiny dab of silicone on the ends of the seal. No sealer necessary on the outside of the seal. Use a little oil to lube the seal and crank surface to help prevent damage.

"…the rubber seals… fit better…"
they prevent leaks better

Was the crank checked B4 reassembly?
Was it machined?
Was the block 'line bored' for the journals where U place the bearings for the crank?

WELCOME !
Glad to offer anything we can…
Like to hear more on yer project !

Hi, I haven't done it in a long time, but we used to force the rope into place with a large pipe, and trim the end close to the block. Also used a dab of silicone. There will be quite a bit of drag on the crank. If g wasou can update to rubber go for it. Good luck

Thanks for the advice. The block and crank were both machined, so there should be no issues there. I ordered a rubber seal and it will be here in the morning, so we'll see how it goes.

Don't forget to have the ends of the upper & lower position at 10 o'clock & 4 o'clock, rather than flush with the cap & block.

X2 excellent advice on installation! You just can't go wrong with a neoprene rear main seal over a rope seal they will last longer, plus are easy to change and install with the bonus of freeing up a little power too. Good luck