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TR2/3/3A leaking front engine plate

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Scotsman

Scotsman

Jedi Hopeful
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Recently replaced timing cover gasket and crank seal in order to fix oil leak, and have discovered I may have an even bigger problem: there is oil leaking from the four bolts at the bottom of the front engine plate that are below the timing cover, and possibly also coming from the seam at the bottom between the plate and block. I thought the oil might have been coming from the timing cover (gasket/oil seal/bolts), but I have cleaned up everything and after driving for a couple of miles the surface of the face plate above the 4 bolts, and the timing cover are completely dry, while there is oil around and below the 4 bolts, and running around the edge of the sump gasket.

Has anyone encountered this and is there a simple fix other than pulling the engine etc, etc.

Richard
 
If the front timing cover gasket was leaking, it shares its bolts with the front plate. My guess is that either it was already leaking, but was hidden by the timing cover leak, or loosening those bolts allowed it to start.

That gasket can be gotten to with the engine still in the car. Use a large board under the oil pan with a jack to support the engine while you remove the plate and reseal it. Unfortunately, the front of the engine has to come apart again...sorry...I feel your pain. For me, it would have to be pretty severe leak before I'd worry about it
 
There is a cork seal behind the front plate where you are talking about. You might can replace it w/o pulling the engine. The oil pan has to come off. and you will see the small plate going over the crank. The cork is right there. I've never tried to do it withe engine in, don't think I want to either. Good luck.

Marv
 
You do not need to pull the engine to pull off the bear plate, just support the engine some other way than the front mounts, perhaps from above. I think the problem is the small aluminum bridge piece that bridges the open section on the oil pan for the crank. The bridge piece uses two cheese cork gaskets on the ends and they get hard over time. What I have done in past is pull the oil pan off and the bridge piece off (it has a couple of bolts coming in from the front on the bear plate) then get ever thing squeaky clean with brake clean and lacquer thinner and use RTV/silicone in place of the cork with the bridge piece in . I am very careful and do get the sealant all over the place. I had to get under the car and get just the right angle from under the oil pan hole. I understand that I do not pieces of silicone floating around in the oil.
 
I agree. Drop the pan, remove the filler piece, and clean everything up (and helicoil the threads in the filler piece as needed). You'll have to cut away the paper gasket that was originally between the filler piece and front plate. Then put it back together with RTV or Permatex. I prefer to replace the cork, but filling the cavities with RTV should work as well.
 
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