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After changing the tappet cover gaskets, valve cover gasket, and tightening the oil pan (bolts were quite loose), I had hoped that my oil leak had stopped, but NO. I also checked the flex hose to the oil guage (it is new and ok). With oil dripping from everywhere, it has been difficult to figure out where the leak is. But it is coming out of the hole in the bell housing at the cotter pin. Once the oil heats up (after the engine has run 10-15 minutes) the oil drops at a rate of about one drop per second. That's alot. So where is it coming from??? It is my understanding that the 3000 engine does not have a rear main seal per say, although I think there is a gasket for the rear engine mounting plate. Is that correct? Advice, please. Is there anything that can be reached via the oil pan? Or am I looking to pull the engine?
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Big Oil Leak
- Thread starter shorn
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[ QUOTE ]
Keoke,
Checking the Moss catalog, I don't see the seal or a replacement kit looking at the internal engine page for the 3000.
[/ QUOTE ]
Shorn--
You don't see it because it is not there. The seals are aftermarket parts sold mainly by UK suppliers such as Denis Welch, etc.
Keoke,
Checking the Moss catalog, I don't see the seal or a replacement kit looking at the internal engine page for the 3000.
[/ QUOTE ]
Shorn--
You don't see it because it is not there. The seals are aftermarket parts sold mainly by UK suppliers such as Denis Welch, etc.
John Loftus
Darth Vader
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[ QUOTE ]
Checking the Moss catalog, I don't see the seal or a replacement kit looking at the internal engine page for the 3000.
[/ QUOTE ]
Skip, If you are looking at the February 2005 Moss catalog, page 15, lower right hand corner has the Rear Crankshaft Oil Seal Kit (833-415) You could also look this up at www.mossmotors.com
Cheers,
John
Checking the Moss catalog, I don't see the seal or a replacement kit looking at the internal engine page for the 3000.
[/ QUOTE ]
Skip, If you are looking at the February 2005 Moss catalog, page 15, lower right hand corner has the Rear Crankshaft Oil Seal Kit (833-415) You could also look this up at www.mossmotors.com
Cheers,
John
Keoke
Great Pumpkin
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Keoke,
Checking the Moss catalog, I don't see the seal or a replacement kit looking at the internal engine page for the 3000.
[/ QUOTE ]
Shorn--
You don't see it because it is not there. The seals are aftermarket parts sold mainly by UK suppliers such as Denis Welch, etc.
[/ QUOTE ]
Michael, now what chu gonna say.---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Thanks John, I did not see it ????---Keoke
[ QUOTE ]
Keoke,
Checking the Moss catalog, I don't see the seal or a replacement kit looking at the internal engine page for the 3000.
[/ QUOTE ]
Shorn--
You don't see it because it is not there. The seals are aftermarket parts sold mainly by UK suppliers such as Denis Welch, etc.
[/ QUOTE ]
Michael, now what chu gonna say.---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Thanks John, I did not see it ????---Keoke
I told you I was blind in one eye and can't see out of the other. My wife says I am deaf, so dumb pretty much makes it the trifecta. Ok, I see it now. That seems to be what I need. Now has anyone installed one of these things? And can I do it by just pulling the tranny? Better to just pull the engine? They talk about grinding clearance in the rear engine plate? How difficult a job, remembering that it has already been established that I am blind, deaf, and dumb. Come on up to the Seattle All British show. I've got a project for the following Sunday and a full keg.
Keoke
Great Pumpkin
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WellShorn, Thanks for the invite but I do not like pulling engines. I pulled the tranny. So Pack a small Lunch and lock the Keg up!. The rear engine plate must be removed,Next draw a center line through the existing cut out in the plate.Lay the plate over a 3/8" piece of plywood and duplicate the cutout, making a template of it.cut it out and check for fit ; Using the new cut out template included with the kit glue it to 1/8" plywood and cut it out carefully, align the center line of the new cutout template with the one on the rear engine plate with the original cutout template in place and glue the two together. Now the fun begins. Wnen this is dry insert it in the back plate and draw the new outline on to it.If you have a plasma cutter you have a piece of cake. If not ,Better have Lunch now,you can take a 3/8" drill insert a 3/16" drill bit and proceed to drill holes around but just inside the new cut out line as close together as possible,Now using the drill bit.wiggle through the webbs left,be careful or the drill will break, when it falls out, use a 1" rotary file in the drill to clean the webbs back to the newly scribed line. This should get you finished just in time for Supper, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif However, You can purchase from BCS a plate already cut out on an exchange basis. In the Kit is a Pilot Bolt for the pilot holes I duplicated this bolt with another one that pilots the tap, the tap should follow the pilot hole but who knows. --Fwiw---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
GregW
Yoda
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Hi Shorn,
I just looked at my machine shop receipt dated 12/00. They charged $125 to machine the backplate, drill and tap the holes in the block and rear main cap (2 holes in each). No doubt it costs more these days, but that gives you a ball park. I used the square seal kit, a little different than the one pictured on the Moss site. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/square.gif
I just looked at my machine shop receipt dated 12/00. They charged $125 to machine the backplate, drill and tap the holes in the block and rear main cap (2 holes in each). No doubt it costs more these days, but that gives you a ball park. I used the square seal kit, a little different than the one pictured on the Moss site. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/square.gif
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Keoke,
Checking the Moss catalog, I don't see the seal or a replacement kit looking at the internal engine page for the 3000.
[/ QUOTE ]
Shorn--
You don't see it because it is not there. The seals are aftermarket parts sold mainly by UK suppliers such as Denis Welch, etc.
[/ QUOTE ]
Michael, now what chu gonna say.---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Thanks John, I did not see it ????---Keoke
[/ QUOTE ]
--------------
Keoke--
That's my story and I'm sticking to it: It is not there.
Congratulations BTW.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Keoke,
Checking the Moss catalog, I don't see the seal or a replacement kit looking at the internal engine page for the 3000.
[/ QUOTE ]
Shorn--
You don't see it because it is not there. The seals are aftermarket parts sold mainly by UK suppliers such as Denis Welch, etc.
[/ QUOTE ]
Michael, now what chu gonna say.---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Thanks John, I did not see it ????---Keoke
[/ QUOTE ]
--------------
Keoke--
That's my story and I'm sticking to it: It is not there.
Congratulations BTW.
GregW
Yoda
Offline
Hi Shorn,
Did a little more digging. My rear seal was from Denis Welsh. They also have an aluminum backplate already cut to fit it. There may be a core refund if you send them your original. See items 3 and 4.
Dennis Welsh
Did a little more digging. My rear seal was from Denis Welsh. They also have an aluminum backplate already cut to fit it. There may be a core refund if you send them your original. See items 3 and 4.
Dennis Welsh
Offline
Hello Shorn, The dicussion on the aftermarket rear main seal is pretty accurate, I looked into this also in the event that I would someday have to take my engine out. Most suppliers recommend that the operation be done on a bare block. but I do remember one supplier that adverstised that their seal could be installed without striping the block. Unfortunately I don't remember which supplier that was. BUT, TO MY POINT! If this 'BIG OIL LEAK' started up rather suddenly, I don't believe it is the rear main bearing leaking that bad. I just don't believe it would go from no problem to a sever problem that fast. Something else is dumping oil into your bellhousing area. The only sources that I can think of, are YOUR transmission front input bearing and seal, your rear main bearing 'seal', or the one area which never fails to surprise me how much oil it can dump out, that is the valve cover gasket. It you replaced the valve cover gasket and the gasket did not seal at the back area just above the bell housing, then you could be pumping oil all over the top of the bell housing and it is running down the sides or into the housing via an openning. The valve cover gasket is easy to screw up. I use Black RTV silicone with the gasket itself. After installing you don't tighten the screws to breaking torque, then let the RTV cure for a day before running the engine.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
Dave c.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
Dave c.
Keoke
Great Pumpkin
Offline
OK Michael, I will tell Moss about the misprint tomorrow.---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Vette, thats what we have been talking about on this entire thread,the rear main bearing seal. Yes it can be installed with the engine in the car on 6 Clyn engines and you will have one fun time trying to fit one on a bare block.---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Vette, thats what we have been talking about on this entire thread,the rear main bearing seal. Yes it can be installed with the engine in the car on 6 Clyn engines and you will have one fun time trying to fit one on a bare block.---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
Something else is dumping oil into your bellhousing area. The only sources that I can think of, are YOUR transmission front input bearing and seal, your rear main bearing 'seal', or the one area which never fails to surprise me how much oil it can dump out,
[/ QUOTE ]
It's pretty easy to differentiate between oil coming out of the engine (dirty) and the transmission (clean).
Something else is dumping oil into your bellhousing area. The only sources that I can think of, are YOUR transmission front input bearing and seal, your rear main bearing 'seal', or the one area which never fails to surprise me how much oil it can dump out,
[/ QUOTE ]
It's pretty easy to differentiate between oil coming out of the engine (dirty) and the transmission (clean).
Healey 100
Jedi Warrior
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Shorn:
My Healey 100 has leaked for years. This is actually a chassis rust prevention system, don't think of it as a leak.
Seriously, I think a lot of rear seal leaks are caused more by excessive crankcase pressure than the lack of a seal. I rebuilt one of my flathead V-8's that leaked chronically from the rear seal. With new pistons, rings, etc, the leaking stopped almost completely.
My experience with Healey 100's that have no seals is that the leaking is very modest if the engine is in good shape. Add a little blowby and rear main bearing wear, and the overflow off that rear bearing has a hard time falling back into the crankcase -- hence it leaks heavily out the rear. I am not sure an aftermarket seal will stop a worn engine from leaking out the rear, though I do not have any experience with them.
Suggestion: before you go to the trouble to install that aftermarket seal, take a good look at the rest of the engine. You always have the alternative of adding a quart now and then and putting a catch pan on the floor. We have done that with our Healey for 30 years now.
Good luck
Bill.
My Healey 100 has leaked for years. This is actually a chassis rust prevention system, don't think of it as a leak.
Seriously, I think a lot of rear seal leaks are caused more by excessive crankcase pressure than the lack of a seal. I rebuilt one of my flathead V-8's that leaked chronically from the rear seal. With new pistons, rings, etc, the leaking stopped almost completely.
My experience with Healey 100's that have no seals is that the leaking is very modest if the engine is in good shape. Add a little blowby and rear main bearing wear, and the overflow off that rear bearing has a hard time falling back into the crankcase -- hence it leaks heavily out the rear. I am not sure an aftermarket seal will stop a worn engine from leaking out the rear, though I do not have any experience with them.
Suggestion: before you go to the trouble to install that aftermarket seal, take a good look at the rest of the engine. You always have the alternative of adding a quart now and then and putting a catch pan on the floor. We have done that with our Healey for 30 years now.
Good luck
Bill.
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Just for the sake of discussion, Bill has some good points.
I do believe though that the aftermarket seal will stop alot of the leak if it is the rear main that the oil is coming from. i believe it is accurate to say that a main bearing and cap in good shape does not leak oil when the engine is running. Shorn said that his leak was about a drop per second. I assume he meant when the engine was running. My original question was "Did this just start to occurr quickly"? As in a few days or a week or so. Shorn said that he had just changed the valve cover gasket. As you know if that gasket is out of place, it's dumping alot of oil somewhere. As you might remember, my 'Big Oil Leak' which I was struggling to find just about a month or so ago, was dumping oil from the front of the engine to the rear and dripping off of everything including the chassis rails. It turned out to be my valve cover gasket. Now my bottom end and chassis is dry. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
Dave C.
I do believe though that the aftermarket seal will stop alot of the leak if it is the rear main that the oil is coming from. i believe it is accurate to say that a main bearing and cap in good shape does not leak oil when the engine is running. Shorn said that his leak was about a drop per second. I assume he meant when the engine was running. My original question was "Did this just start to occurr quickly"? As in a few days or a week or so. Shorn said that he had just changed the valve cover gasket. As you know if that gasket is out of place, it's dumping alot of oil somewhere. As you might remember, my 'Big Oil Leak' which I was struggling to find just about a month or so ago, was dumping oil from the front of the engine to the rear and dripping off of everything including the chassis rails. It turned out to be my valve cover gasket. Now my bottom end and chassis is dry. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
Dave C.