Need serious help....think my engine is done for?

[Mustangs Suck]

Ok so...my front main seal blew, so I replaced it once, and I put it in backwards and some things didn't line up, so I replaced it again.

Now....I removed the crank pulley and what do I see? a little half circle piece of metal inside my engine under my crankshaft....and what do I see missing? the little lip on the crankshaft itself that goes into the little groove on the crank pulley.

I put it all back together anyways, and started it up, it runs and sounds fine, so I took it for a drive, and it feels really good, idles perfect, and all the power is there, only for me to come home and let it idle for a min. to see oil spewing all over the place from behind my front crank pulley...once again.

So my question is this - If that little piece broke off the crank pulley, would my engine be considered done for? REMEMBER it runs and drives GREAT, but oil spews everywhere, so I'm thinking that because there's no little piece to fill the groove in the crank pulley, that oil is coming out of there - would that make sense, or can it all work without that tiny thing and I should try replacing the seal for the 3rd (and final) time? This time the seal got pushed into the motor kinda far, and I scuffed an edge up a bit, so it might not of sealed....but since i found this new wonderful piece of metal (which I have removed) I'm thinking it's not the seal anymore, but something worse.

Any input would be appreciated, I'm basically either looking at options A) it'll be fine, it's the seal or B) putting the car up for sale and I want to know if I should list it as basically blown (even though it runs and drives very well) or list it as needing a new crankshaft.

Thanks for the help in advance.

[orion::S14]

Sounds like it's OK...

Unless all the oil drained out and you have rod knock...

Or you couldn't remove all the pieces of the seal (you got it all out, right?)...

Replace it PROPERLY, do a complete oil/filter change, and it should be fine from what you're describing...but it's hard to say over the 'net.

- Brian

[S14DB]

Do you have a camera? I can think of three places that you're talking about. Pictures will be the factor. you have a 50/50 on being totaly fucked.

[Mustangs Suck]

orion - well I'll be giving it one final try, and getting my 3rd seal as I know what I'm doing now. But something is definitley wrong...it's not the seal anymore I can just sense it....

S14 - Yeah I have a camera, but have to find a USB attachment part to hook it up to the computer, I'll see what I can do in the next day or two for pics.

Someone said that it sounds like I just knocked the key off the crankshaft, and to just put it back on.

Anyone confirm that?

Anyways, I'm taking it all apart for the last time tomorrow and going to check my seal to see if it sealed properly or not, if it did...well then I know it's something to do with this small little half circle metal piece I found (might be the crankshaft "key"??)....

Post results tomorrow.

Thanks!

[Mustangs Suck]

Upon searching online I have found out that the piece of metal I found was 100% positively my woodruff key on my crankshaft.....so it looks as if this might just be a real easy thing.