The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop sneaky pete

Anyone here used a tool called a "sneaky pete" to install a new rear mainseal. Your tips, tricks and suggestions appreciated. Thanks...Tom.

Sneaky Petes! Wow, haven't heard that in awhile. If it is what I think it is, it is for installing rope seals without taking the crank out. It has a clip on the end of a piece of piano wire. Put the end of a rope seal in the clip and pass the wire into the seal gallery around the crank and out the other side. Lube the gallery with oil and pull the seal into place with the wire. Once in position, press (pack) the rope seal into the gallery from both ends best you can and then trim with a razor blade flush.

Not sure if this is the best way to put a rope seal in, it is easier if you have the crank out of the motor . . . but I have done it this way once before and didn't have any leaks.

And here I always thought a sneaky pete was a hidden bottle of nitrous.

You see a guy drinking wine from a bottle in a paper bag, that's a Sneaky Pete. The plumbing snake coiled in a holder with a handle is a brand name Sneaky Pete.
The rope seals you get today are a poor subsitute for the old asbestos rope seals.The fibers in the new seals can be broken when using installation tools and may result in oil leaks.

I bought the kit at a swap meet this summer but I haven't used it yet. It may be really old but it is a #17-8665 by Big Tools, USA (Another name on the package is APS Supply INC. Houston Texas, 77054). It has a removing puller, which is a threaded rod on a handle, an installer puller which is a wire cable. The cable has a wire net or cage, sort of a small version of what they use to pull electrical cables. When you put the seal end in it and pull, it tightens up. It also has several different size of funnels of which one is used to squeeze the seal on the way in and keep it away from the block. It has a razor cutter and a thin blade of metal which I think is placed up against the crank when cutting the ends off. there also is a blunt looking tool which I would guess is for packing or compacting it a bit.

Best of luck. My turn will come , probably in the Spring.

I used one years ago on a 53 Sedan. It was like a "chinese" finger trap on one end and a cable with handle. Push the one end around the slot for seal after removing old seal, hook in seal and pull it thru, Yeah sure! I had to pull hard, practically hanging on it, and still had to turn engine over with scewdriver on flywheel to get it around. I even had the mains loose and pulled down some on crank, wich won't move much with trans still on. Sounds like the "kit" in last post has all the goodies to do the job.
I've heard also that new seals don't do good work w/out asbestos in them. Inliners site supposed to have someone with NOS seals for sale.