Oil at Bottom of Bell Housing

[Dave Richards]

At the bottom of the bell housing is a small hole with what looks like the tail end of a cotter pin sticking out, there's always been a drip of oil there.

Last week, I drained and refilled my gearbox with fresh 30w oil as a precursor to filling with Redline MT90. I warmed the car up and got under it to drain the gearbox and overdrive. At the same hole on the bottom of the bell housing, there was a drip of the fresh 30w.

I don't have much experience here, but this leads me to believe the front seal on the gearbox is compromised, am I right in this assumption? Are there other possibilities? What are the implications?

 

[Keoke]

--------------------------------Yep,-------------------Keoke



-------Implications: Remove Gear Box & install new front Seal

 

[Healey 100]

Dave:

What front seal? There is no front transmission seal on my BN1, just some threads in the main shaft to screw oil back into the transmission. I suppose the later models might have one.

Suggest you relax, that little cotter pin in the bell housing was Healey's crude way to make a little one way valve -- it is designed to let the oil from the transmission and engine get out of the bell housing before it finds the clutch.

Yes, we have no engine rear oil seal either! No muss, no fuss, but if oil isn't dripping out of that little cotter pin, you probably don't have a Healey.

Bill.

 

[Dave Russell]

Dave:
What front seal?

Hi Bill,
I agree. I believe the front seal started with the BN7/BT7. Earlier boxes had no front seal.
Dave, I guess you could say that the front seal is compromised, since there is no seal. It really doesn't leak a lot. A few folks have done machining & added a front seal, but most don't feel that it is worth the trouble.
D

 

[healeynut]

Dave -

BN2s didn't have a front seal on the gearbox, if I recall correctly. I don't think they put them on the side change boxes until they cam out with the 3000 MkI I think.

Don't worry about it. Just don't park facing down hill /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

 

[Keoke]

OPS! Guys, I forgot about those antique cars. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif However, since this topic came up before and I normally do not follow the 100 mods . I repeat there is a modification or a complete replacement part that adds a front oil seal to the earlier cars. The article was publised in one of the major AH Magazines some time ago.--Fwiw--Keoke

 

[Dave Richards]

My car is a BJ8. I don't see a seal in the Moss catalog, should I relax, or not?

 

[Terry_Geiger]

According to the Vicky Brit and Moss catalog, a BJ8 Center shift does have a front seal in the transmission.

https://www.victoriabritish.com/icatalog/ah/0073.asp

https://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=28881#3

 

[Keoke]

My car is a BJ8. I don't see a seal in the Moss catalog, should I relax, or not?

Just set back and relax Dar100 you have one of those moderine Healeys.---Keoke-- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

 

[Dave Richards]

Ah, I see the seal now, thanks, I was looking at the "internal" page. I'll monitor that particular spot to see how much MT-90 I get on the ground.

 

[Hangtown Healey]

My experience with MT-90 is that you will get a lot of it on the ground from about 4 places. Try to compare your current leakage rate with the synthetic and let us know the difference.

 

[Dave Richards]

ok

 

[Keoke]

Dave:

What front seal? There is no front transmission seal on my BN1, just some threads in the main shaft to screw oil back into the transmission.

Bill.

Isn't that the same type "Labrinth seal" used on the back of the crank shafts too?---Keoke-- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif