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Oil Seal Questions

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Loaf

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I am replacing the clutch on my 1970 MGB Roadster - never done this job before. I have a question about oil seals:

There is oil inside the bell housing of the transmission - it's all over the clutch release bearing. I figure the transmission seal may be leaking. Is it possible to replace this seal without taking the transmission apart? I can't tell from the manual.

Also: I was thinking of replacing the rear main shaft engine seal as a precaution - the manual says that early engines didn't have one. How can this be? What keeps the oil in if there is no seal? Also, if I do have a seal, can I replace it without removing the whole back plate of the engine?

Any help would be much appreciated!
 
welcome to the forum, Loaf. The problem is typically the rear main seal. I've never had a problem with the tranny seal, not that it couldn't happen. The workshop manual is more detailed and with the help of others on this forum, you should be able solve the problem. There are a lot of knowledgable people here willing to help you. Good luck
 
That's interesting... I have never heard anybody talk about transmission seal problems either. But the thing is that the clutch (I have removed it, but not the flywheel) is bone dry, whereas the transmission housing is soaked. Could oil be getting out the rear seal and being blasted onto the transmssion housing by the spinning flywheel WITHOUT getting oil on the clutch?
 
the oil doesn't blast out of the seal, it leaks. Then it's distributed over time throughout the bell housing, probably by the fan-like motions of the clutch. Just a hunch.
 
Thanks, guys. Does anybody have an opinion on whether I should change the main seal with the back engine plate in place, or does the plate need to come off?
 
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