Crankshaft seal removal tool

Looking at removing the front crankshaft and the intermediate shaft seals. The manual says to remove the hole seal carrier plate and then push them from behind. I rather not do that if possible, the bottom part is touching the oil pan and I am afraid once pried it will not seal properly unless I remove the pan as well. 

I usually use a screw and pull them, anyone see any problem with that method?

I also saw this tool, has anyone used something like this? Or should I just go ahead and follow the manual? 😬

The seals in question:

I use a tool similar to the one you linked but it is a single hook.

They probably want you to remove the plate because any tool that can grab the seal and pull it out can put a scratch or gouge on the shaft.  Then it will leak a lot.

I had a good old time putting repair sleeves on all four camshafts on a Subaru engine after someone apparently used a chainsaw or something to pull the seals out.  The annoying thing is that the engine was only six or seven years old, the old seals probably weren't leaking.

A scratch is what I fear. That's why I was thinking a screw as there is not much behind to damage. 

This is what it looks like behind unless the aluminum carrier has some sort of step:

Okay... what the heck engine IS that?

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Lol, M20B25 out of an e30 325is

I am thinking the chain sprocket on the crank threw you off. That is a crank out of an M54, those come off and should not be there. 

That and the threaded water pump snout, yes   And the two threaded holes on the boss to the side made me think VW, and the bottom of that plate made me think Audi five (I had to massively clearance mine to clear a 60-2 trigger wheel), and it kept getting weirder.

No experience but why not carefully try the screw method?  Not much to lose.  Then try the tool.  As long as you're careful, I don't think you could hurt anything.  
 

In reply to jfryjfry :

I was going to go to Harbor Freight this morning and decided to just give the screw a shot. If it works great, otherwise I will pull the hole thing off and pray I dont mess up the oil pan gasket.

My go-to seal removal tool is fine-thread drywall screws.  Haven't found a seal it didn't work on, and have yet to damage anything other than the seal doing it.  The screws are pointy so they self-start just fine and don't wander. 

I have no idea how you're supposed to get those giant hooks behind a seal without marring anything.  Same with the giant dental pick tools.

In reply to Berck :

You push the hook through the lip of the seal.  You rotate it in from the side, then slip it into the contraption.  (The image has the seal hooks facing the wrong way)

I tried, I really tried ... the seals were like glued on