I have to say I'm not a fan of the dry fit seals used on the crank. I've had bad luck with leaks. I have replaced a few on my own and others engines. The crank looks fine, sometimes I clean them up with fine Emery cloth. I use the seal installer that usually comes with it and center the seal housing as best I can before tightening the bolts. 

I never tried the shaft saver ring type most parts stores give me deer in the headlights look when I ask about a kit. Does it require machine work? Anyone use an alternative traditional seal?

If you're referring to what I think you are, there is no machining involved.

Like this?

Sometimes called a Redi-Sleeve or Speedi-Sleeve.

Edited August 6, 20222 yr by LorenS

Speedi sleeves were available through Cummins over 30 years ago for the big engines as in NTA's and the KTA's

 

TBH i've never had a problem with a Cummins dry seal, one thing to look at is IF the seal bore has no stop shoulder then consider setting the seal at a very slightly different depth to what it was when it worn the groove, either further in or further out, only needs to be a 32nd and it's sitting on no groove, to do this you will need GOOD access to the seal, prefferably a made to measure seal driver/drift and a micrometer to measure depth  AND patience, thing is a crank on a NTA or KTA is house purchase price so worth taking the time.

 

Then there is Speedi Sleeves, what happens here is a brand spanking new seal path is pushed onto the crank using the dampner bolt/bolts, the speedi seal then is the sleeves thickness bigger, easy to instal and again never had a problem, but good access is key with big dump trucks, loading shovels, dozers etc usually needing radiator packs removed to get in there but again cost of cranks means it doesn't matter.

If you haven't got good access and cannot see and measure what you are doing then results won't be good