Oil Leak, is it excessive?

[pharriso]

I`ve lowered it now and oil actually ran from the bellhousing. When I say ran I don`t mean pour but a thin stream, say a teaspoonfull.
Jim

Assuming you have the lower flywheel cover plate on... Your Rear Crankshaft Oil Seal is leaking...

[AHM]

After a few days the residue will have dripped out of the bellhousing. You should be back to your usual drip after a run.

[512BB]

Jim wrote:
Pardon my ignorance but, Leslie, do you mean having the car jacked up would cause a leak?

It would not cause it Jim, but it would cause it to manifest itself.

This is how I see it. You have had the car on axle stands at the front. Therefore your full up sump oil, has obviously flowed to the rear of the sump, and lain against the back of the crank and the rear oil seal. Now, for oil to FLOW past that seal, either, the seal would have to be on its way out, or knacked, and or, the surface finish on the rear of the crankshaft, is poor, ie rusty, and the seal is therefore not doing its job, and oil is getting by there. If both the crank sealing surface in that area, and the seal, are in good condition, then having the car raised at the front, should NOT cause an oil leak.

Of course, if the oil seal housing gasket to block, is not sealing as it should, then that would also cause a leak, but I do not believe, to the extent that you have shown, by the amount of oil on the floor.

So, the oil has passed the faulty seal or whatever, in that area, and some has flowed onto the floor, but some has also flowed to the back of the bellhousing, and remained there, until you have let the car off the stands, and then it has flowed onto the floor.

If that it what has happened, then that would be bad news Jim, as to cure all, or sum of those faults, that means engine out.

However, as Simon [AHM], says, it COULD be, just oil leaking past the cork sump gasket, OR leaking past the thick cork gasket that is pressed into the curve of the rear crank oil seal housing, which the large curve of the sump seals against. Does everyone follow so far?

Now, I would think, that the first thing to do, ONCE YOU HAVE ELIMINATED EVERYTHING ELSE, ie, anywhere else the oil could be eminating from higher up the engine, would be to remove the sump and have a look at the mating gasket, to see if there is any signs that oil is getting by. But to be honest, there probably would be anyway, so that would not be conclusive.

If it turns out to be just a leak past the sump gaskets, then that is just, drop off the sump. But if it is anything else in that area, as I said, then it is engine out. Again.

It is always worth, when carrying out a job, such as a clutch change, thinking a little ahead, to what might I do now, whilst the engine is out, to prevent any dramas in the near future. And replacing that rear oil seal is one of them, even if it was performing fine before hand. It is a 20 minute job to replace that seal when the engine is on the deck, but 4 hours and 20 if it is in situ.

Of course, if you keep the car level, the oil should stay in the engine, depending on where it is getting by. But that is a bit, hit and hope, and if it is the large round seal, and that lets go altogether, you will have a lot more oil on the floor than you currently do.

All the best Jim, my dinner is frigin cold now!

Keep us updated,

Leslie

[alexblack13]

I had a fair wee leak from my fuel pump. Changed to an electric pump and blanked off the 'hole' No more leak.

It looks like a fair leak to me too Jim.. Sort it buddy.

Keep us posted as to what you find...

Alex...

[jimj]

Again, many thanks to all. I can see no evidence of oil leaking from the sump or the head, the block and sump are clean and dry. Whilst replacing the clutch they did remove the flywheel and machine it to accomodate a Ford C Max (I think) clutch plate for my Voight gearbox, replacing the ring gear at the time, very sensible. I can see no mention of a new crank oil seal but surely that would have been replaced if it looked dubious, wouldn`t it?

Is it possible that any leak wouldn`t be obvious, or serious, with the car level?
Jim

[el-saturn]

someone from the alps BUT 30 yrs of TC experience - building a new street going aircraft! if that?s a 4 bolt crank and standing
at at angle + 10" front and zero at rear (as am example) that?d be a minimal "puddle" after all of of the old sweating on the oil victimized surface came down with the new stuff - with a 6 bolt you?d have a right to complain! sandy j

[AHM]

Jim,

As mentioned, I think you have submerged your crank oil seal. It is only a lip seal and is not meant to be submerged. It is probably also a bit worn judging by the smaller drip patches on your garage floor.

Usually you car is level, so after a run a small amount will get past the seal and you see a drip. Nothing unusual there. But as you say with the front of the car elevated it will likely cause it to leak more.

Let it settle down for a few weeks most likely it will go back to the occasional drip which was a situation I suspect you were content with before.

Your first discussion should probably have been with Mattey's for reassurance. Did they change the oil? what viscosity did they use?

[stugilmour]

Jim, like others it looks like the crank seal to me. I had this issue as well after a full engine re-build. Even with a new seal there can still be issues.

Mine was solved with a product called a SKF Speedi Sleeve (sometimes miss-spelled Speedy Sleeve if you are searching). Gary posted some info here, and there are some other threads on the topic. The sleeve is installed over the worn part where the seal has been making contact with the crank. Don't know details as my mechanic did the work, but HTH.

drive-train-gearbox-final-drive-f37/worn-crankshaft-spigot-t16961.html

drive-train-gearbox-final-drive-f37/crankshaft-repair-t20092.html

After having the seal corrected while everything was open for clutch work another leak point that caused me grief was sealing of the dip stick hole. I eventually reduced it a bunch with a rubber nipple with a hole for the dip stick. I don't think this is your immediate issue though as the oil spill marks on mine were lined up with each pan retaining nut; the oil accumulates on the top of the pan flange and runs to the floor at each screw holding the pan in place.

HTH and best of luck with the repair.

PS Is it excessive? It indicates to me the seal has failed, but it is not 'terminal'. I used my car with this condition for a year or two & repaired with clutch work. YMMV.

[jimj]

This very afternoon Paul Matty has been on the phone. He should change his name to Paul the most helpful man in the world.
He was most concerned that I should have returned the car to investigate the oil leak rather than ask advice here. I was at pains to point out that I was hoping to resolve the matter, if possible, without troubling them. Given the weather and distance I`m going to clean off all the oil, drive the car 50+miles then try and locate the source and report back though Paul was keen that I shouldn`t be inconveniened.

What excellent service.
Jim

[Uboat]

This is the beauty of the internet. The suppliers brand can easily be ruined by words of bad service on the net, which Paul Matty obviously is aware of.

Jim, I can fully understand why you brought your issues up here. I doubt that any workshop would have bothered if not the comments on this forum. However, I would like to stress that I only have good experiance of PM.

Also, this new consumer power demand responsibilty and balance. Bad words can quickly put someone out of business


/Ulf

[jimj]

An update, it seems it was just the crank oil seal that doesn`t like being bathed in oil. I cleaned the floor and lowered the car onto its wheels. 2+ weeks later there was no more than a 10p sized drip on the floor.
Yesterday I did about 80 miles and placed cardboard under the car on my return. Today, lunchtime, there is no sign of any oil dripping at all, thank goodness.
Jim

[elansprint71]

An update, it seems it was just the crank oil seal that doesn`t like being bathed in oil. I cleaned the floor and lowered the car onto its wheels. 2+ weeks later there was no more than a 10p sized drip on the floor.
Yesterday I did about 80 miles and placed cardboard under the car on my return. Today, lunchtime, there is no sign of any oil dripping at all, thank goodness.
Jim

Did you check there was any oil left in the engine?


I'll get me coat.....................................................................