A serious engine problem?
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:54 pm
Shortly after our return from Le Mans, my car developed a very noticeable oil leak. It was black and loaded with moli-slip, which pointed to the T9 gearbox. I couldn't get onto it immediately, so I finally pulled the engine in mid-August.
With the engine out of the car it was obvious that the input shaft oil seal had failed. This is very simple to replace and I took the opportunity to suck out the old oil and refill. There's no drain plug on the T9, but with the bell-housing removed and the gearbox angled front down, I was able to suck out all bar about 50cc!
At the same time, I noticed that the aftermarket crankshaft oil seal was starting to fail. My car lost it's scroll-type seal many years ago and the bolt-on replacement kit has never worked perfectly, but it's been pretty good nonetheless. Certainly, it's leaked no more oil than you'd expect of an A-Series. But it was now starting to leak more than I would like. And anyway, the engine's was now out of the car.....
I bought a new seal from Moss, but then discovered that one of the two bolts that hold the two semi-circular halves of the seal holder had seized. Having tried just about everything else, I had to drill the head off. Anyhow...... I fitted the new seal and reinstalled the engine (with a new clutch plate for good measure!).
However, a short test run showed that the newly installed crankshaft seal was leaking like a sieve! So I pulled the engine again, and refitted the seal kit VERY CAREFULLY INDEED. There's a YouTube video (MiniMania, I think) showing it done in stages. The first part is installed and then left overnight for the silicone sealant to set. The second time around, I ditched the Blue Hylomar that comes with the kit in the UK, and used Loctite grey silicone for the rigid metal-to-metal joints and Loctite black silicone for the non-rigid joints. The reassembled engine was then left for a couple of days for the silicone to fully cure before being reinstalled.
That was a week ago. I've test run the car for about twenty miles and then been to the Goodwood Revival and back. So it's done about 150 miles since I refitted the crankshaft oil seal and it's been sat over a drip tray for 24 hours since.
And not a single drop of oil has dripped.
Something must be seriously wrong.................
With the engine out of the car it was obvious that the input shaft oil seal had failed. This is very simple to replace and I took the opportunity to suck out the old oil and refill. There's no drain plug on the T9, but with the bell-housing removed and the gearbox angled front down, I was able to suck out all bar about 50cc!
At the same time, I noticed that the aftermarket crankshaft oil seal was starting to fail. My car lost it's scroll-type seal many years ago and the bolt-on replacement kit has never worked perfectly, but it's been pretty good nonetheless. Certainly, it's leaked no more oil than you'd expect of an A-Series. But it was now starting to leak more than I would like. And anyway, the engine's was now out of the car.....
I bought a new seal from Moss, but then discovered that one of the two bolts that hold the two semi-circular halves of the seal holder had seized. Having tried just about everything else, I had to drill the head off. Anyhow...... I fitted the new seal and reinstalled the engine (with a new clutch plate for good measure!).
However, a short test run showed that the newly installed crankshaft seal was leaking like a sieve! So I pulled the engine again, and refitted the seal kit VERY CAREFULLY INDEED. There's a YouTube video (MiniMania, I think) showing it done in stages. The first part is installed and then left overnight for the silicone sealant to set. The second time around, I ditched the Blue Hylomar that comes with the kit in the UK, and used Loctite grey silicone for the rigid metal-to-metal joints and Loctite black silicone for the non-rigid joints. The reassembled engine was then left for a couple of days for the silicone to fully cure before being reinstalled.
That was a week ago. I've test run the car for about twenty miles and then been to the Goodwood Revival and back. So it's done about 150 miles since I refitted the crankshaft oil seal and it's been sat over a drip tray for 24 hours since.
And not a single drop of oil has dripped.
Something must be seriously wrong.................