TR2/3/3A TR3 oil filter system leak

[charles]

I know this sound like a dumb question but since I am new to the TR3, and I am trying to get her in tip top shape. yesterday I put all new carpet and shift knob took me all day to do it but it looks great. well while I was doing some things I noticed she was leaking a bit of oil every time she was running. she doesn’t seem to leak when she is just sitting and not running. well I am just wanting to know if any one has had this problem, or if someone might have an idea to solve it before I go messing around down there.

and thanks for everyone that helped me with my starter problem

 

[DougF]

Everyone who has a TR3 and almost any British car has this problem. If they fixed it, they are just waiting for it to happen again.
As long as it is a few drips and not a river, you should be fine. Make sure to periodically check your oil level.
Just to be safe, let us know where it is leaking. Spray the engine with degreaser if there is a lot of build up. Once clean, go for a nice ride. After the engine has cooled off, you should be able to find the leak.
The culprits are usually the front or rear seals.

 

[martx-5]

The real problem is that ALL British engine blocks are porous. As a result, the oil just oozes out. Nothing known to mankind has ever been able to stop this. If the oil stops dripping out, then you know that there is no oil left. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif

 

[Geo Hahn]

From your subject line perhaps you see a leak around the oil filter. In my opinion a leak there should be addressed... not really the same ting as the general oozing of oil from the real seal, etc.

If you are using the original canister-style oil filter arrangement: these use an O-ring to seal the canister. Every oil cartridge box includes a new O-ring (actually 2, one of each possible size) but sometimes prior owners do not replace the O-ring each time. Other prior owners have been known to put in a new ring w/o removing the old one.

In any case, that O-ring is kinda important so if you ave not yet done an oil change you will want to be sure and get the old o-ring(s) out and a new one properly seated.

You might also check into prior threads on the forum on the conversion to a spin-on filter using an adaptor commonly available from the usual suspects. In addition to making the oil change much easier it will give you not one but two places where the filter can leak.

Seriously, I find the addition of a spin-on adaptor a significant advantage -- I normally prefer originality over convenience but that 'Exxon Valdez' oil change was too much. With the spin-on it is so much easier and neater that I am much more attentive to the oil change schedule.

 

[charles]

thanks guys its just a small leak nothing real big just want to know and i have the original oil filter system i didn't know you could change it over. i plan on doing another oil change since it been sitting so long and there might have been a lot of build up