More oil in the bellhousing

[daveg]

Some of you might remember from last summer....

http://www.uniquecobra.com/showthread.php?t=6334

I have been experiencing oil leaking in the bellhousing for my SA 406 bought in 2005 since I first started the car. I replaced the rear seal last year but the oil leak has continued. While I might be getting used to swabbing up oil in the garage (I go through about a quart per 100 miles) and pissing off my friends when I park in their driveways, I dropped it off at the mechanic today to drop the transmission and inspect the plugs since it doesn't seem to be the rear seal. I only 2500 miles on the car.

Once the transmission was off, he added 80+ pounds of air pressure to the oil system (couldn't start because the starter was off) and looked for leakage with soapy water around the plugs and couldn't find anything.

He is suggesting taking the engine out to send to a builder to break it down and inspect fully - who knows cost-wise - $1,000+ I am sure by the time it is done. Any suggestions out there for next steps. I am calling Bill at southern tomorrow to get their thoughts.

Dave

[souzape]

Dave- have you checked to see if you have pin holes in the weld seams around the kick-outs in your canton oil pan?? Look for weep trails leading aft along the very bottom of the pan. Mine leaks constantly.

Phil Souza

[pgermond]

As far as I know SA (Bill) has always stood behind their engines. Let us know what transpires.

[eliminator]

If it were me I would call Bill at SA and let him tell you how he wants to handle it. Engine Builders get pi$$ed off when someone else starts messing with their engines. And if you let someone else get involed SA may decline to do anything, righfully so.

[will butterworth]

We are about to buy a canton oil pan, ain,t cheap, you say it leaks around the welding.Thanks, thats good to know. Will give it a good inspection.Will-alabama

[souzape]

Will- I don't think I'm the only one who has had this problem. Phil

[pgermond]

Will,

Had the same problem with mine. Fixed it with JB Weld...... haven't had a problem in almost 3 years now.

[daveg]

Follow-up.

I held a conference call between my mechanic and Lyle Piper (Chief Engine Builder for SA) this morning. My mechanic is going to take off the distributor and drive the oil pump to see if he can get a leak in one of the plugs. Both seemed to think it was the plugs although I would think the air pressure would have done the same thing.

I think I am leaning toward him just tightening/replacing the plugs regardless of whether he sees any leaks. Can't really see anything else unless the rear seal was put in wrong that could lead to my problem.

dave

[Brent]

The rear main in a FE is an unusual beast for sure. THe rear main cap is recessed and has a flush pan rail. The sides of the rear main cap have 1/4" grooves on each side. This can be sealed with a rope seal, Victor has an expanding fiber that expands when placed in oil, and Fel-Pro uses a pair of rubber seals with a metal pin driven in after the cap is installed to expand the rubber seal. Many people have fought these many times before they get it right. Keith Kraft fills the grooves with pressurized RTV and lets it go.

Best of luck!

[Slither]

I would think that Canton will stand behind a leaky pan... have either of you tried to get a resolution? I guess replacing the pan would be a major pain in the tail !

Anybody know if there is a way to test for this prior to installation?

[pgermond]

My engine came from SA, and while the body was at the painter I noticed a small (very small) accmulation of oil in the front of the pan before I ever started the engine. Once I fired it up it became apparent there was a leak somewhere. I had to take the car back to the painter for some work and when I picked it up the fiberglass dust from the shop made it very easy to identify where the oil was coming from - the front of the pan on a weld. As said - a little JB Weld and no problems since.

This car hasn't dripped a drop of oil since - and that has been close to three years

[will butterworth]

liquid steel once on a gas line, jb weld should handle a leak. Do ya,ll remember when we put black pepper in the radiator to stop leaks? and soap on gas tanks to stop leaks, heck, I remember putting water in the master cylinder of a gmc pulpwood truck loaded. Reckon I,m getting old, we made it to the woodyard with that old gmc, and did a little more --rigging--- bent the broken brake line with pliers drained water put fluid in and back to the woods. Will-alabama

[pgermond]

Yep, coarse ground pepper in the radiator........ vegetable oil for brake fluid. Yep, getting old..... wonder what shade tree ideas the kids are coming up with when one of the vehicles on-board computers poops out?

[Slither]

I guess I could say !!!!! But I did my share of wacky things comin' up, though they weren't related to cars. It is a tribute to the Good Lord that we're all still breathin'!

[daveg]

Small update - mechanic spun the oil pump and still didn't see any leaks. I am having him change the oil plugs, rear seal (again) and talk to Bill at SA. Don't really have another solution. (small edit after talking with Bill added).

Dave

[pgermond]

As Eliminator said -

If it were me I would call Bill at SA and let him tell you how he wants to handle it. Engine Builders get pi$$ed off when someone else starts messing with their engines. And if you let someone else get involed SA may decline to do anything, righfully so.

Hindsight being 20-20...... did you ever get any direction from Bill last summer?

[chris knueven]

dave,

one thing you might think about doing is having your mechanic put a bottle
of uv dye in the oil. if the engine leaks again just shine a blacklite
around where the oil seems to be coming from and it will be very
obvious. the uv dye wil dry and leave a telltale trail right back to
where it came from....its all i use at the shop anymore to locate hard
to find leaks in our trucks....a/c,trans,etc....

http://www.tracerline.com/dyesforflu...-specific.html

chris

[daveg]

Chris and Phil,

Both good ideas. I did call Bill last summer and got input from Alan to change the rear main seal.

Mechanic talked to Bill yesterday and Bill was very accomidating. Wanted to be kept in the loop with the problem. Agreed to replace the plugs. Mechanic wants to replace clutch as it has been soaked in oil. Mechanic is on vacation so it will be at least a week until I know if it worked.

Bill called me as well - offering to pick up car and fix if problem isn't solved....nice guy to work with.

dave