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TR6 TR6 Oil Level, New Motor and Leak

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gbtr6

gbtr6

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Rebuilt my engine last year and got it dialed in this year. Am very happy with it, snaps well, sounds great plenty of guts. One question though. When I fill with oil to the full line, it leaks, from the oil filter I think. I have had to add 2 quarts of oil in the last 1,000 to 1,500 miles. It does not burn, as I've checked start up, no smoke, and the plugs. had a friend follow it, and no smoke. It is solid. Now, this may be unrelated, as I tightened the filter by hand a bit. It wasn't loose, but I was checking for where it could be leaking from. I hae the spin on adapter, and was going to check to make sure it's tight. Also, replaced the O ring on the adapter to block mating surface. Anyway, when it leaks down to the add mark, it stops leaking. I do not see a leak anywhere but under the filter. The oil pressure is still great, 50 lbs at 3,000 at temp. Is there any problem running it at the add mark as long as there is no pressure fluctuation? I know when I raced carts, we'd run them at the low end of oil capacity, but that's a different animal.

Perry
 
I would check the filter housing. Something is not right, should not leak.
 
My thought exactly. I replaced the cardboard underneath it to get a better picture of where it's coming from, and it's only under the filter. I don't want to gorilla the filter on, and I haven't crawled under and wiped it down to see if there is any fresh leaking. That is next.

Perry
 
Check for double gasket at filter, make sure the threads holding adapter are seated.
 
Good advise. I will check. By double gaskets on the filter, do you mean the inner small rubber one and the outer large rubber one? I don't have any others on the filters. On the adapter there is the large square cross section rubber ring on the block to adapter, and the O rings on the bolt. If I omitted anything, I assume I'd have a much worse leak, no?

Perry
 
Big gasket. Knowing it is new, lots of times the big gasket leaks. Just check all seals. You might call the dealer for tech support. I just had one on an old Jag that would not fit right and they are taking care of it.
 
When you check the big gasket, remove the one you see and then dig into the groove with a dental pick or some time of pointed instrument to see if there is a second ring hiding deep in the groove.
 
At one time, I tried an actual round cross section O ring on the block to adapter seal. That did not work, and I ordered the correct square cross section one.

Perry
 
It seems to have stopped leaking, and the level is holding at the add quart line. Doing an oil change this weekend. Settled on Shell Rotella5 Triple Protect. I talked to an oil engineer at Shell. I could have gone synthetic with the Shell Rotell T6, but they may have leaked more in the long run, and it costs more. He had a couple of flat tappet engined cars and recommended it. Has 1200 ppm of zinc and @ 1100 of phosphorous. And only $13 a gallon at Walmart. Anyone else using this?

Perry
 
OK, did the oil change and with a filter, I put in a gallon of Rotella T5 Triple Protect. Level was a quart below the add line. If I'm thinking right, it should have been up to the add quart line, no? Just trying to get a handle on my oil level.

Perry
 
My TR6 engine takes 5 and 1/2 quarts to get to the FULL mark on the dipstick..I think that's pretty close to what the manual says for a 73 and 74 engines.

Where the oil level reaches the dipstick depends upon the levelness of the car AND the thickness of the felt dipstick washer.
 
Went and got another quart, brought it a tad over the add line. I don't think I have a felt washer on it at all. That could make the difference.

Perry
 
Look inside the cup on the dipstick that rest on the dipstick tube...If you don't have a felt washer you should get one; but the ones from TRF are twice as thick as necessary. The result is that the dipstick does not go down deep enough into the sump.
With 5 1/2 quarts it looks like you need more oil because the dipstick didn't go deep enough to reach the full mark.
 
Good point. I may have the opposite problem now.

Perry
 
Looked at the dipstick, and I do have a felt washer. I also wiped that area and will try and see where it may be coming from. The leak is much smaller now. On the past two runs to work and back, I have 75# pressure at temp at 3,000 rpm, and @30 at idle. So far so good.

Perry
 
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