The seal is purposely long so the parting lines will crush together to seal. Best advises against any sealant between the two seal ends. I have installed the seal both ways with it even with the block and the last couple of times offset the seal about 1/4" or so. both ways worked out well.
Just put together a 235 for a buddy and it too is without a drop on the floor, although the soft plug in the rear of the engines main oil gallery was leaking like a sieve. Appears the machine shop installed it wrong and damages the soft plug on installation. I ended up tapping the main oil galleries, IMHO there should be no soft plugs used where there is oil pressure. The machinist agrees with me when I told him I had to yard the engine out because it was behind the bell housing. You just cant remove the bell housing simply in a AD truck, such is life, live long enough you learn all these tricks others had learned years ago and died without passing them on. This is why you listen to old timers when they speak about such things. The wisdom learned in their years of experience is without a doubt one's best resource.

Steve

Last edited by sstock; 02/21/2020 7:41 PM.
1953 Chevrolet 3100
261 cu inch, sm420, 3.55 rear, torque tube still,omaha orange, still 6 volt, RPO green glass, side carrier spare, all done
In the DITY Gallery
Video of the 261 running

1964 GMC 1000
305 Big Block V6, sm420, the next cab off restoration