I am currently replacing the timing belt that skipped on a "91 940 B230F motor. The belt has about 100K on it to my knowledge. The crank seal was leaking considerably and on replacement, the new seal kept pushing inward as I was gently tapping it with the rounded end of 12mm box end wrench as I moved around the seal (don't try this at home kids, there are much better ways). I used the crank pulley to set the other 2 seals. The seal kept moving inward and at about 3/4" it felt like it suddenly started moving inward easier before setting in it's final position.The intermediate and cam seals have a definite stopping point where the seals set close to flush (cam seal is flush, intermediate seal is just inward of flush). I am using Elring seals which now I am reading from some past threads are not all that great. They feel quite firm on installation and am hoping Elring has corrected the problem. The seals are relatively easy to get to, so I've decided to take my chances.
My theory is that the mystery part in the OP's pic may actually be half a main (or journal) bearing that somebody put in there to stop the crank seal at a near flush position. There could possibly still be the other half of a main or journal bearing in the front of donnie_diamond's motor that couldn't be seen. The Volvo dealership is claiming there are no such "spacers" that go in there and they don't show on any of their diagrams. What I have decided to do, for now anyhow, is leave the new seal in there and stack another one next to it and if the second one goes much past flush, I'm going to leave it. Hopefully there are no oil passages that I am blocking in there that feed the front main bearing.
Again I am only theorizing at the risk of sounding like an idiot
. Any insight would be helpful.