So I am replacing the front crank seal and like an idiot I failed to take notice of the direction the seal lip was facing. it is a vary fragile looking single lip seal I believe they are called PTFE seals my guess would be to install the lip facing inward so any oil pressure would force the lip down on the crank shaft. but it is so fragile looking I am afraid it would be damaged during install. Is there a installation sleeve that comes with the new seals from ID parts to protect the lip? also I believe you are not supposed to use any oil or grease on the lip of this type of seal. help please

Yes the lip goes inward.
Yes it is delicate.
I made a plastic sleeve and greased the hell out of it and it still managed to damage it.

In the end I purchased one of these off ebay.
Crankshaft Seal Oil Pump 38 X 55 X 7 mm Victor Reinz for Porsche 944 1983-1984

The earlier seals were this style but this one had the right dimensions and the quality is good.
Been in there over 5000km's and so far so good.

There is yet another tool listed in the FSM to install the factory seal which I wasn't prepared to spend money on. I've fitted hundreds of seals over the years but this new stuff sucks like most of this engine.

Awesome thanks for your reply Jaffazoom, apparently you are supposed to put these new ones on dry no oil or grease. I spoke to ID Parts this morning they told me to order 2 in case I damage one. I will install the cover first then the seal so I can see the lip and turn it around on the shaft to make sure the lip is sitting properly before I tap it onto the case. you are supposed to turn it two times around then leave it for at least 4 hours before starting to allow it to form to the shaft.

As I recall from installing those new style teflon seals on my TDI, they are VERY particular. The right procedure I was told is to clean everything perfectly. No grease, oil or anything on the shaft or the seal. With a clean, dry finger run it around the inside of the seal where the shaft goes a few times, pressing gently; the idea is to stretch the seal a bit, right before it gets installed. Then install. Do NOT move the shaft for 12hrs or more to give the seal a chance to "seat" itself on the shaft. Also don't fill with oil or anything else which might get oil on the seal during this time.

It is critical that the shaft be perfectly clean, and that you do not move the shaft or do anything which might get oil on the seal until it has had time to seat itself (12 hrs, more if you are worried).

Don't know if those sare the recommendations for the VM seal, but they worked on the TDI for me.

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2006 KJ CRD

Well, so after visiting every diesel and gas shop in my city and getting everything from that is the wrong seal to install it the wrong direction even though the seal is stamped Lato Esterno translated to outer side. The seal I pulled the lip was folded over to point inward with the tiny ribs facing away from the shaft many of the shops told me the ribs should be against the shaft. so I took a leap and installed it with the stamped outer side facing out and just pushed it onto the shaft dry with the lip facing outward ( the only way I would have got it on with out some tool to stretch it) and ribs against the shaft, turned the crank 2 times and left it over night. I have been running it for about 300 km now no sigh of leak yet... I have ordered the Porsche seal recommended above just in case...

im not pulling wrenches for living any more , but i do remember when i did engine overhauls , say like front seal on cummins 5.9 or similar , front seal usually comes packaged with plastic sleeve inside so would go over crankshaft without damage ,then you drive seal inward with tool of your choice , and that plastic sleeve is no longer needed , CAT engines was same , so lip must be installed in and only dust lip is visible outside , dont know how crd seal looks like so , can you post picture of this seal and , does it come with this instalation plastic sleeve like i describe , if it doesnt , then it will be tricky to install without damage to the seal

No it does not come with a sleeve. I'm fairly new here not sure how to post photos I will if I can figure that out

You have to post your images on a "free" third party site such as https://postimages.org/ then get the link from your image on that site and post it here using the Img tag in the forum edit menu

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Purchased 2006 LIberty CRD 82K 01/16
SS Cat Back Exhaust, Full EGR Delete,Provent, Michelin 245/70 R16 AT/2
Stock Tune, Serpentine Belt Service,160 Amp Alternator
10/17 96K, New Head, Injectors, ARP Studs, HDS T-Stat
04/18 99K, New Reman Trans
09/18 104K, Lift Pump
01/19 106K, OME Lift, Eaton TruTrac LSD in new rebuilt diff