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TR2/3/3A Lockheed Dif seals

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CJD

CJD

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As the TR2 gradually breaks in (gradually because with twin teenage drivers it doesn't have room to stay at the house anymore) , I am finding some interesting quirks. I went through the entire car at 500 miles, and changed all the fluids. I found the rear axle outer seals were leaking badly on both sides. I cleaned everything up, swapped out the brake linings, and closed it back up until I could order parts and schedule time in my garage!?

Well, this week while it was in for a new fuel tank I went back to clean the axle seals up before grease reached the brake linings again...and they no longer leak. Bone dry around the seal lips. Freaked me out, as I have never seen a seal, let alone 2, fix themselves. I am thinking one of 2 things happened, and maybe you guys with the old axle could offer a thought about it:

1) The vent got plugged and pressurized the axle until it spewed oil, or
2) I over greased the outer bearings at assembly, and it had to go somewhere?
 
John,

I tend to overthink things. Often. (Some may call it 'obsess'.) But I think you are overthinking this. If it's not broke, don't fix it. -Something happened, probably. There's a very good chance it was related to something you did. Definitely probably. If I were still thinking about it -which I,m not- I'd be thinking something like it was over greased before it warmed up the first time, but now all is right in the world. Mostly.

As an aside to this particular insanity, I have to say I think I dodged a frustrating bullet with my early style gas tank. While I was putting in a patch that nearly encompassed the trunk pan, I also changed over to the 'new' style tank, and also cleaned and treated a good, used, non-leaking, rusty tank. So far, so good, but now that I've mentioned it, I'll probably see the error of my ways. Until then, I'm not going to think about it because it's working.

Happy Thanksgiving.
 
My guess would be #2. Should be good for another 50k miles. Tom
 
Yes #2 I over greased one and had that problem, but it was a 1958; however, it could have been divine intervention because you did get struck by lightning related to a tr3.
 
True! I like the consensus, as overgreased involves the least amount of work!

I did remember I had one other seal fix itself. That was when I left a cap on the axle vent for the TR3 while it was stored and forgot to remove it. That time the pressure caused the pinion seal to leak.
 
Have had the same experience with a plugged vent, an impressive pinion seal leak but not a drop at the axles. Simply clearing the vent slowed the leak to a trickle immediately and then it stopped completely (well almost) after a month. Tom
 
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