It's only necessary to lift the crankshaft a little to relieve the pressure on the seal. Then a Lisle "Sneaky Pete" kit can be used to remove the old seal and install a new one. I'd choose the "Best Gasket" seal, either the rope or the new lip seal they introduced recently. They're expensive, but they seem to work well. When the old style rope seals with the asbestos fibers became unavailable, replacing that style of seal became a pretty risky process with frequent failures.
Jerry

"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!