Can someone tell me where my oil leak is?

[mark030358]

Out of interest has anyone used the Burton Sump Gaskets, the fibre type?
I'm about to replace my sump gasket and have both the burton fibre gaskets and a set of normal cork ones. To me the fibre ones look too small at the edges, especially when both types are laid on top of each other.

Thanks
Mark

[Lyn7]

Hi Mark, I have used the sump gasket listed as "competition" . It appears to be constructed of blue board and is very good. I have used their cam cover gasket of the same material with good results. They also appear to re-usable if used with Wellseal.
Cheers Lyn..

[TroonSprint]

I have used the Cometic gasket for the cam cover and in my opinion it is miles better than the original cork. For a start it keeps it's shape so is no problem to get it in place and keep it there while you put the cover on. Then it sealed perfectly without any sealant, doesn't squish out of the edges as you tighten, and can be re-used. I intend to get Cometic gaskets from Burton for the sump as well.

Mike

[mark030358]

My other worry with the Burton sump gasket is that it won't have the same ability to take out and deformation in the sump pan (if there is any that is) as it is a hard fibre gasket. I'll probably decide when I pull the engine this week.

Thanks for the replies....

[englishmaninwales]

Troonsprint
Beware of buying 1/4 NPTF oil gallery plugs from Burton. I had some recently from them and they were undersize. This results in them going in too far into the oil gallery and partly blocking, at the rear, the No 5 main bearing oil feed and same problem but to a lesser extent at the front.
I got mine from:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321603378763? ... EBIDX%3AIT
Don't forget to seal the threads.

Malcolm

[promotor]

Troonsprint
Beware of buying 1/4 NPTF oil gallery plugs from Burton. I had some recently from them and they were undersize. This results in them going in too far into the oil gallery and partly blocking, at the rear, the No 5 main bearing oil feed and same problem but to a lesser extent at the front.
I got mine from:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321603378763? ... EBIDX%3AIT
Don't forget to seal the threads.

Malcolm

Seconded. Re-use the originals, or buy elsewhere. I got mine from QED and am happy with them. Have also had them from hydraulic/pneumatic service shops.

[englishmaninwales]

Troonsprint
Beware of buying 1/4 NPTF oil gallery plugs from Burton. I had some recently from them and they were undersize. This results in them going in too far into the oil gallery and partly blocking, at the rear, the No 5 main bearing oil feed and same problem but to a lesser extent at the front.
I got mine from:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321603378763? ... EBIDX%3AIT
Don't forget to seal the threads.

Malcolm

Seconded. Re-use the originals, or buy elsewhere. I got mine from QED and am happy with them. Have also had them from hydraulic/pneumatic service shops.

Ho! Ho! By the time we'd welded a nut to the originals to get them out, they went in the bin. Pity I didn't see what the thread was before I chucked them in the bin, would have saved a lot of heart ache!!

[Cas]

Mm' looks like I'll be removing my engine , this is the same problem i have with my elan . Which I didn't need after owning it for 24 hours . Wasn't any sign's of leaking
When I went and viewed the car , looking at the invoice's the engine had a lot of money spent on it including bottom end gasket set not to long ago . Seems like the engine has had a few heat cycles through it and I found sump bolts night tight .
Thought I'd sorted it" but no chance . I was going to ask if mine had a rope or lip seal
And can you remove g/box from vehicle with out removing engine " I guess not .
Happy days . Cas .

[mark030358]

A follow on note...

I refitted using cork seals and gaskets, did the gasket to block first, wait 24 hrs, then fit cork seals and sump, wait 24 hrs method.
Out of interest the blue fibre gaskets from Burton are to be used with the rubber seals, so be careful, they would not fit my standard Elan sealing arrangement. Hopefully now a dry sump "fingers crossed"!!! Also redid the gearbox speed drive seals too. Fitted two fibre washers, one in place of the paer gasket and one small extra one inside the right angle drive to aluminium body to prevent any leaks through the speedo cable.

I used a ramp at a local garage how MUCH easier to align everything when going back in, engine mounts a complete doddle to line up, similarly fitting the manifold. (Note to ones self, "must buy a ramp")

Footnote, hammered flat the raised surfaces around the sump bolts holes and stopped tightening the sump at around 5lbs as I thought the gasket might move.

thanks
Mark

[TroonSprint]

UPDATE
On the recommendation of Malcolm (Englishmaninwales) I bought the NPT plug from the Green Spark Plug Company and it came this morning. In my first photo it is the one on the right and you can see that it is shorter than the original plug that was in the oil gallery (on the left in the photo), but it doesn't screw in any further, as you can see from the second photo and from the dirty threads on the first photo.

Looking into the hole, there is a large oil feed through the thread. It isn't completely in focus but you can see the round shape of the hole in my third photo. If the plug screwed right in it would block this hole.

So, what to do? Shall I put in the new plug as far as it will go? What shall I seal the threads with?

Thanks for all help,
Mike

[rgh0]

The plug should go in around 4 or 5 threads leaving around 2 threads exposed. This should just reach the oil gallery edge but not cover it.

It appears the plug is only going in a couple of threads. You may need to clean up the threads so it goes in properly. I use Loctite 572 pipe thread sealer on these types of plugs.

cheers
Rohan

[Craven]

Hi,
A quick search ,
NPTF ? ?, Major Dia 0.540? , 18 tpi , Thread angle 60 deg Sellers Thread form ( flat top ), Taper 1 in 16,
BSTP ? ?, Major Dia 0.518?, 19 tpi, Thread angle 55 deg Whitworth Thread form ( V shape ), Taper 1 in 16,
Ron.

[TroonSprint]

Rohan, what should I use to clean up the threads?

Mike

[rgh0]

I would use a npt tap. The challenge is not to get any metal down into the oil gallery when doing it with the engine assembled. You can put a small piece of cloth in the gallery to plug the hole and put some grease in it to seal. Put some grease on the tap grooves to hold any chips and then clean up the thread. Then use some tweezers to pull the cloth out of the gallery and it should bring any remaining chips with it. Inspect carefully for any remaining metal chips and then screw in the plug

cheers
Rohan

[rgh0]

I forgot to mention - use a bottom tap so you cleanup the threads before the you push the cloth plug to far down the gallery and expose the cross drilling to the bearing and risk getting metal down there.

cheers
Rohan