As per the FSM.
"Install seal carefully over shaft, with lip side facing pump body."
This may sound counter intuitive. But while the scavenge side gears are bigger the return side has less pressure in it than the feed side. And it's the pressure that would determine which way the oil flowed around the shaft.
I have had a lot of engines which didn't wet sump. It is fairly clear to me that the clearance between the shaft and the inner cover is the critical point. When new these clearances MAY be tighter. It might just be production tolerances. For a long time I thought it might depend on whether the engine when stopped cam to rest with the breather valve open, or closed.
if I have an engine out of the frame now I would do the modification. The costs are minimal, (last two I had done cost me about $50 each including the seal ($95 on Ebay).