When installing OEM rear main seal into my 04 Manual Base model RX8, I accidentally pushed one side in too far with my thumb. The only way to square it up was to tap it square using the old seal. It looks undamaged. But, it is pushed in all the way to the stop -- about 4mm recessed. It is hard to measure exactly, but I think the inner sealing lip will be very close to the chamfered part of the flywheel and I am afraid it may leak.

I have three options:
1) Reassemble and hope it does not leak. This will get me on the road tomorrow.
2) Wait a few more days for Mazda to get me another rear main seal and install that one.
3) Use one from Autozone, part 226840. This will also get me on the road tomorrow. The only problem is it looks like it has one larger sealing lip while the OEM one has 2 smaller ones.


Finally, my questions:

a) Anyone operate with a seal pushed in to far: did it leak?
b) Should I just wait and order another OEM seal?
c) Is the Autozone one guaranteed to leak?

 

im not sure what the spec calls for but bottoming out a seal is never good and it will leak.

autozone rear main seals will be fine if you install it correctly.