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TR2/3/3A tr3 rear main

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I also think the rear main seal gets some of the blame for leaks from the rear cam plug.
 
And the best way to be sure the leak is, in fact, from the real main seal is to do what?

I ask because after removing that little transmission plate I wasn't seeing any oil in there, and that little bell housing hole was barely wet, but plenty of oil was dripping of the pan after each run, like three tablespoons. I've resealed that pan twice now. I could be persuaded to do it again before pulling the engine for the vanity of fixing an oil leak.
 
This is a very interested topic for me. The TR3A I now have back on the road is leaking a bit of oil that is actually creating a puddle. It is leaking much more that the TR4 I have where I rebuilt the engine and replaced the rear seal with the stock set up. I need to check under the car (TR3A) to verify where the leak is coming from. All I can tell right now is that it is leaking by the rear pan area. I did replace the pan gasket as well.

I would have been ready to go with the newer seal, but will now likely stay with the stock set up based on the info shared on this topic.



Steve
 
KVH said:
And the best way to be sure the leak is, in fact, from the real main seal is to do what?
Click to expand...

I don't have any magic answer for that. There are tricks like putting some kind of power on the block to better see where the oil is coming from, or using dyes in the oil (usually some kind of UV dye). The fact is that there are lots of places for oil to leak, and they all end up running down to the pan. One method I've used (if your engine is fairly clean otherwise) is to start at the top and wipe with a clean paper towel.

Happy hunting!
 
martx-5 said:
Personally, I think people are too quick to condemn the original seal design, when it can, in fact be made to work quite well.
Click to expand...
I am inclined to agree, although I haven't seen one yet that didn't let go of at least an occasional drop of oil.

But it is hard to accurately assess wear in the original seal (even though it is theoretically a non-contact seal, worn main bearings plus crankshaft flex can allow it to wear), and it is essential to get it properly centered around the crankshaft. The mandrel is not absolutely required (I have heard of folks wrapping thread around the crankshaft journals instead), but most people will want to use one. And by the time you buy a new seal and a good mandrel (not the one from Moss that is made to the wrong dimensions), the Viton setup isn't that much more money.
 
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