i apperciate your response.

i am doing all my work in refrence to a haynes manual for my car
and the first thing that it said to do is to install all the main bearings. and right before droping the crank in, to install the rear main oil seal. (which i somehow neglected to follow)

i looked it up online and found that the oil seal has a "housing"
like you say.

the book says nothing about this. it just says, "put it in"

i have the rods connected and the main caps torqued down. i slipped the cam in and installed the timing chain. i haven't bought an oil pan for it yet. i haven't installed the oil pump on it either.

so you dont think i have to dissasemble the rotating assembly to install the oil seal?

im planning on taking a trip to the local community college to take a look at some shortblocks and get some ideas.