Need some help. Just got my 66 running OKish. Now I see a major oil leak coming from where the engine meets up with the tranny. There's a little 1"x.25" slot. There's alot of oil coming out of there when the the car is running. I noticed the tranny oil was low.
Is this the "main seal"?
Main Seal Leak?
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hercdriver
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- Location: Beaver, PA
Re: Main Seal Leak?
I would assume that the main seal is the source of your leak. As the engine builds oil pressure while it's running, it would flow from a blown seal. I think it's time to pull the engine. It's not hard to do with a friend. It'll also be a good chance to check your end play and clean any debris out of the cooling tins.billfred wrote: There's alot of oil coming out of there when the the car is running.
It may also be a blown galley plug.
Here's a picture for reference. The seal is orange, and the plugs are the silver circles.
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hercdriver
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The seal or plugs would be engine oil. The transmission has it's own seal.billfred wrote:OK, that's what I thought. One other question, so does a bad main seal result in leaking tranny oil or engine oil?
That depends on how much it's leaking, but I wouldn't drive it until I figured out what I'm dealing with. For now it may be just a bad seal. If you continue you to drive it, it may cost you the clutch or engine.billfred wrote: Any risk in me running it for a while if I keep the oil topped up until I get to this project?
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Blue Baron
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It's easy to tell which oil is leaking. Just smell it. Motor oil smells like motor oil, and gear oil has a stronger, almost pungent odor. Once you smell it, you never forget it.
While the engine is out, you can replace both the front main seal on the engine (most likely the leaker) and the transmission mainshaft seal. It's the seal arond the mainshaft, just behind the throwout bearing, and you'll have to remove the throwout bearing to do the job. it's likely stuck in there pretty good. I use a metal hook to tug it out.
The risk of running it this way is eventually your clutch will become oil soaked and start slipping, and you'll need to replace it as well, but that was probably a good idea anyway.
While the engine is out, you can replace both the front main seal on the engine (most likely the leaker) and the transmission mainshaft seal. It's the seal arond the mainshaft, just behind the throwout bearing, and you'll have to remove the throwout bearing to do the job. it's likely stuck in there pretty good. I use a metal hook to tug it out.
The risk of running it this way is eventually your clutch will become oil soaked and start slipping, and you'll need to replace it as well, but that was probably a good idea anyway.