21-01-2022, 05:30 PM
I've just been out into the garage and had another look at the leak which unfortunately is only really obvious immediately after I've been for a run and then parked up. This means you don't get much of a clue by placing paper under the engine and looking for evidence.
The oil certainly seems to be dripping from the hole in the bottom of the bellhousing which, combined with it's black colour is what made me think it was from the rear main.
There is however also some evidence of oil along the back joint between the sump and crankcase and around the sump fixing screws at this point. I have recently fitted a silicone gasket here but there is a possible issue in that one of the tapped holes which take the sump bolts has a sheared off bolt in it and to overcome this another hole has been tapped next to it and an additional hole drilled in the sump to line up with this.
This means that two of the sump bolts along this flange are further apart than they should be and then the next is closer (if that makes sense). This also means there is an unused mounting hole in the sump flange but presumably the silicone gasket would seal this off.
Before taking out the engine yet again I wondered of oil leaking from this joint could be trickling down onto the lower edge of the bellhousing and then, when it reaches the drain hole, forming a larger "blob" which drips on the floor. I'd really like to eliminate this before going any further so can anyone suggest how I could be certain where the oil is coming from.
I did consider either wedging a piece of plastic tube into the bellhousing hole and running this away from the area or temporarily blocking the hole but I'm not too happy about this as I guess oil which couldn't drain could potentially be thrown over the clutch.
John.
The oil certainly seems to be dripping from the hole in the bottom of the bellhousing which, combined with it's black colour is what made me think it was from the rear main.
There is however also some evidence of oil along the back joint between the sump and crankcase and around the sump fixing screws at this point. I have recently fitted a silicone gasket here but there is a possible issue in that one of the tapped holes which take the sump bolts has a sheared off bolt in it and to overcome this another hole has been tapped next to it and an additional hole drilled in the sump to line up with this.
This means that two of the sump bolts along this flange are further apart than they should be and then the next is closer (if that makes sense). This also means there is an unused mounting hole in the sump flange but presumably the silicone gasket would seal this off.
Before taking out the engine yet again I wondered of oil leaking from this joint could be trickling down onto the lower edge of the bellhousing and then, when it reaches the drain hole, forming a larger "blob" which drips on the floor. I'd really like to eliminate this before going any further so can anyone suggest how I could be certain where the oil is coming from.
I did consider either wedging a piece of plastic tube into the bellhousing hole and running this away from the area or temporarily blocking the hole but I'm not too happy about this as I guess oil which couldn't drain could potentially be thrown over the clutch.
John.