Now the crankshaft and rear main engine seal can be seen. It looks like it's leaking a little, so we'll go ahead and replace it while we're here. Use a couple of angled picks to get a hold of the seal from the outer edges and work it out from around the crankshaft. Take care not to pick at the seal from the crankshaft surface to avoid scratching where the seal will ride on the crankshaft surface.
It's important that the new crankshaft seal be completely dry as we install it. There can be no oil on the sealing surfaces of the seal when we install it. If oil is between the seal and the crankshaft, it will not allow it to seal properly and the seal will leak prematurely.
The new rear main seal should come with a metal ring that is used to tap the seal in place evenly and at the correct depth around the crankshaft. Place the new seal over the crankshaft. With the metal installation ring over the seal, tap the ring gently with a hammer evenly, until the ring is seated against the rear main seal bracket that's mounted to the back of the engine block.