Well, I had a not so good experience with Best Gaskets Graph-Tite version of their generic one size fits all rope seal. Started leaking immediately, looked like squished putty at tear down. To be fair, it could've been installer error.
I read on other forums that Fel-Pro's non asbestos version was lousy and to avoid it if you run across it. NOS asbestos being best if you can find it.
For my second go, I ordered a seal from Brazil made by Sabo, a big international gasket company, hoping for better tech for these engines that were used in more vehicles for many more years in SA than here. The machinist & a mechanic with rope experience both liked the Sabo seal better than Best's, but I won't have a start up report for another week or two.
I recently ran across what appears to be NOS Willys 4cyl asbestos rope on a Jeep site. It's a different part # than the one for my engine, but it does give a length of 4 1/2", which seems plenty long enough to trim for my engine.
https://www.willysjeepparts.com/Crankshafts.htm One other point of interest, the trim knife included with the Best rope would not cut the Sabo material, which was very tough.
