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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Crankshaft pulley

I have an oil leak from behind the crankshaft pulley, so I removed it to inspect the pulley itself and the seal as far as I could (with the engine in the TF). I accessed from below rather than remove the radiator, etc. There were some heavy deposits of sealant on the critical area of the pulley and a few scratches, so I decided to replace the pulley with a new one from B&G. Replacing the seal itself, which is a lip seal, with a new one, without removing anything else looks darn near impossible. It isn't loose or misplaced so I will leave it in place and hope for the best. Now I come to reassemble I find that I have the starting dog bolt and shaped washer, but no shim - a shim is clearly shown on exploded diagrams of the assembly. I could make one, but first I need to know exactly where it goes. At first I thought behind the pulley, but on inspection have discounted that idea, so I imagine it goes inside the shaped washer to take up the space between the head of the starting dog bolt and the end of the crank. Can anyone confirm and tell me the thickness please?
Dave H
Dave Hill

Dave,
I don't know the thickness but here is a good exploded view. Item 29.
https://www.angloparts.com/en/catalogues/group/770/mgtd-tf-camshaft-valves-etc-#img1

It looks like it sits in front of the washer item 28.
I cannot imagine the thickness being critical.
Regards
Declan
Declan Burns

Dave,

The washer you mention is in fact a shim. it goes just behind the starting dog. The workshop manual shows several stacked together. They are used to position the starting handle for easy turning through compression.
The shim thickness, from the parts manual is, 0.125mm.
I have positioned my starting handle to be about horizontal, I find this the best place for turning over the engine.

John
J Scragg

Thanks. I was referring to the shim, not the washer, but my understanding of the purpose was clearly entirely wrong. This is mainly down to incorrect labelling of the parts on the websites of two of the major suppliers! The workshop manual, as said, makes it entirely clear. The shim(s) go in front of the washer, not behind or inside, so that when the driving dog is tightened it brings the starting handle crank end to a favourable starting position. Something that never crossed my mind, but makes complete sense. Good to learn something new.
Dave H
Dave Hill

I shim the dog so that the starting handle is at the 7 o'clock position, to give a bit more throw. I used the starting handle exclusively for almost a year back in the 60's, when I had no money for a new starter motor. Unlike the startwer, it never broke!

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Good tip - thanks. How do you get the starting dog bolt really tight? I tightened it as far as the compression would allow, but a bit more seems sensible. Yes I could also put it in gear, but my inclination is to refit the belt, and jam a wedge between the pulley and the belt.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Set the parking brake and put the transmission in high gear Make sure ignition is off If you cannot get enough rotation on your 1-1/8” wrench or socket to torque to your liking,then using a socket and long extensions either by using a torque wrench (preferred) or a 1/2” drive air gun lightly rap it in place. Care should be taken not to over torque using an air gun so as not to shear the bolt.

Bill Chasser
TD-4834
W A Chasser

Be careful. The seals sold by some suppliers are fine for a brand new pulley but if you polish the boss on your old one you may need a smaller seal.

Jan T
J Targosz


While all of your input related to using the brass shim stack to position the starting handle is correct, I just wanted to add another possible purpose. Even though the shop manual doesn't mention it, oil can leak between the crankshaft keyed snout and the inner area of the pulley where the key way is located. The oil will seep past the starting dog bolt if that area isn't sealed. Now, that is partially why the shims are made out of brass to serve as a sealing joint between the starting bolt and the formed washer. However, this does little to seal the back side of the formed washer to its pulley surface, so some sealant is needed there also to stop this oil seep.

To torque the crankshaft bolt, I remove the starter, and use a short piece of angle iron to jam between the flywheel teeth and the housing and lock the engine rotation. The torque on the bolt is important to prevent it from loosening and resulting in associated parts damage. I believe the torque value is 50ftlbs.
Richard Cameron

Bill's shear warning should be heeded - the threaded shaft is considerably smaller than the dog nut itself. I have had to remove the broken-off threaded stub from more than one crankshaft nose, caused by trying to tighten the nut with the crank, in first gear, with the handbrake on, or with a foot on the brake pedal. Just tighten it by hand with a 1-1/8" socket and all will be well. It won't come loose.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

I'm glad that I asked the question as the answers are illuminating. One other thing that I should have mentioned is that there is a generous radius between the base of the thread and the head of the dog bolt, which means that any shims or washers need to clear the radius, either by means of a clearance or chamfer. The size of the socket required on the hex section (5/8 Whit) compared to the thread diameter partly explains the need for the radius and the point made by Bill.
Thanks all.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Dave H

I am so happy you brought this topic up. Thank you.

My TF engine had a professional rebuild a few years ago. It is leak free, EXCEPT for the front crank seal area. I know that a modern lip seal was installed, and I know that the old, original pulley was put back in.
I have a brand new pulley, also from B & G. I have a theory that the seal is fine. The seepage is due to wear on the old pulley hub. So, I have wanted to do the job you are doing.

How difficult was it to remove the dog bolt? Were you worried that the key would fall into the sump?
Did you do any prep on the hub of the new pulley?
Last but not least, you have to share with us the result. Did this action take care of the seepage??

Tom
'54 TF
T Norby

Interesting questions.
Removing the dog bolt from underneath required a certain amount of ingenuity. Front of car up on axle stands, I removed the front number plate and the LH horn to gain access and a better view of the dog bolt. A 1 1/8 AF or 5/8 BSW socket fits (the latter slightly better). No room for a ratchet handle in there so I used a short extension, fed in from behind the crossmember that sits in front, then put the socket on the dogbolt and then connected the extension. The front end of the extension piece is now within the crossmember, but
I found that a socket set u/j would just fit in the hole in the crossmember, with a bit of twisting and I could fit the ratchet handle to the back of that. With the car in gear and handbrake applied I could easily apply enough torque to undo. Its a conventional RH thread, so anticlockwise to undo.
I had exactly the same concern about the key, but no need as it was well jammed in there. In any case even if loose it can't easily fall into the sump as its well forward of it.
I've had a change of mind about the pulley. I am going to refit the original, but with a Speedisleeve fitted (CR99146 looks to be correct). The reason is to do with balance - I had the entire bottom end balanced when I rebuilt the engine and the back of the original crank pulley has been drilled to suit. Change the pulley and the balance could be upset.
Whilst the car is raised I am attending to other maintenance issues and probably won't restart it for some time.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Did I do any prep on the hub of the new pulley? No, it was ready to go as far as I was concerned and after greasing just slid into place easily. All I did to it was cut a notch at 10degrees BTDC (8.2mm) and mark both that and the TDC notch with white paint. However, as said above, I'm not going to use it now.
I'll report back on how it goes with the old pulley and the Speedisleeve.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Thank you Dave
Did the pulley come off fairly easily, without a puller?

I had not thought about the balance issue. I wonder if a pulley can be balanced on its own, apart from the lower end....

Tom
'54 TF
T Norby

Yes, it came off easily just by pulling on it by hand. The usual way to balance the bottom end is with the entire assembly - crank, pulley, flywheel and clutch pressure plate. Balancing the pulley would be detrimental as it is probably correcting imbalance elsewhere (they are often drilled in one place on the back).
Dave H
Dave Hill

Hi Dave,

Did you machine the pulley boss so the speedy sleeve would return the diameter to standard? If so did you need to fit a larger bore lip seal? My pulley wasn't really worn, it just had a brown ring showing where the old seal had been rubbing. I polished this with very fine emery and oil and fitted everything back with a new lip seal from one of the recognised T Series suppliers. when I started the engine, oil poured out. After stripping most of the front end and lowering the sump (not the best job for someone of my age) I found the diameter of the boss significantly less than the bore of the seal. Seals are now metric size and I don't know if the ones sold for an imperial EXPAG are marginal or perhaps I had been heavy handed with my polishing. I went to BSL Brammer for a new seal and they were able provide one correctly sized for my pulley. I arrived at their depot at 4.55 and they had cashed up for the day so they gave me two seals free of charge!

Considering the work involved I think it vital to measure the boss accurately and buy a seal to suit. Brammer will measured the pulley for you.

I may have the leaky seal and the spare from Brammer in a drawer somewhere and if I can find them will post the sizes.

Jan T
J Targosz

No need to machine the pulley as the tiny increase in diameter from the sleeve can be accommodated by the seal. Indeed it may even make it marginally more leak tight. I'm not sure how good the seal is in my case, but if I can avoid replacing it, I will.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Hi Dave,

I have found one of the seals but don't know if it is the original one or the slightly undersize one from Brammer. The size is 33mm x 47mm. I am still a little confused about the size. The pulley stub will be imperial but 33/34/35 mm does not equate to a standard inch size. What are the I.D. and O.D. for your speedy sleeve?

I had considered making a tool to produce a counter bore in the sump and chain chest so a seal could be tapped in and would probably do so if the engine was out. This could easily pilot off the front of the crank. The sump and chest would either need dowels or a simple alignment jig would have to be used when the sump and chest were tightened up. As I previously mentioned lying on your back under the car, attempting to lift the sump with a bottle jack, isn't easy for someone who is as old as the car!
J Targosz

I had to take the sump off my engine after installing it in the car - the RH clutch fulcrum pin had been sawn off by the factory or a previous owner and I was doing a RHD conversion. After replacing the sump on my back under the car I promised myself not to do that again and its leaked a little ever since.
The Speedisleeve is CR99146 and I measured the mean diameter of the pulley spigot at 35.90mm and the thickness of the sleeve at 0.25mm.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Jan,
although British the engine is entirely metric, see the WSM, bearing diameter and length, con rod eye to eye, bore and stroke all in exact mm.
The seal I use is a Timpken 36 47 07 XX and have no front leak,I don't even want to talk about the rear!

Ray
Ray Lee

If you buy the oil pan gasket set from Moss it will come with the correct front upgraded seal. I don’t know if other US suppliers offer the same upgraded front seal in the pan gasket set Even with the speedy sleeve you’ll use the supplied seal. And yes dropping the pan in situ is a PIA. It is much easier to pull the engine to do the job on an engine stand. But that’s my experience and personal opinion when working on TDs.

If you have a TF it is bit more time consuming because of the cars front sheetmetal design. You don’t need to pull the trans however unless you need to correct gasket leaks If you go this route and the clutch hasn’t been serviced in a long while it would be a good time to change the disc and spigot bearing while ithe engine out. Rear seal upgrade would also be a consideration at this point. Along with rod and main bearing inspection and replacement. Yes the simple task of changing the front seal could snowball into a bigger project but it is a good time to refresh the other items while the engine is out to save another repair further down the road.

Bill Chasser
TD-4834
W A Chasser

The spare front seal that I bought is I believe a Volvo item, which was recommended in various places. Its a good fit on the spigot of the B&G aftermarket crank pulley, which looks to be a much better made item than the original.
I have a B&G rear seal upgrade, which was similarly well made. I think there is a trace of leakage, but am not entirely sure owing to the leakage from the front that gets blown back.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Tool for removing pulley. Can be used with engine in bay.

Removing and tightening the bolt using two extensioners thru the hole for the crank gave no problem.

It is very important to fit the seal correctly, otherwise it will act as an oil pump. I turned a bush and cut it in half. See next comment if I find a picture of it.

I also made a tool for milling a seat for a seal. I am not proud of the craftmenship of the tool, but will see if I can find a picture of that too. That method gives a correct lining of the seal.


YS Strom


It is very important to fit the seal correctly, otherwise it will act as an oil pump. I turned a bush and cut it in half.

YS Strom

Yes, I saw that previously - very well conceived. In my case I was trying to fix the problem with the engine and radiator in situ. If I am forced to dismantle further, I would certainly consider further machining of the seat for the seal, though I can't help thinking that it ought to be possible to fit the seal effectively and reliably without doing so. Clearly some have managed it, but whether by seredipity or good technique I don't know. If its technique, please tell us.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Sorry, cannot find picture of tool for forming seat for front seal, but similar can be found in the archive.

YS Strom

YS
try "Front seal cutter" in archives, it shows a photo of a cutter.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

There have been at least a couple of people post images of their home made cutters. I remember that one used milling tools and the other lathe tools or similar. I kept images of both, so I can post yours if you advise me which it was.
Dave H
Dave Hill

I have seen them and they can probably also be used without taking out the Engine. A ratchet and two extensions and a perfect recess can be made in 15 min.
YS Strom

I am now not convinced about machining out the front housing so a lip seal can be tapped in. I think alignment of the sump and chest cover will be a problem but dowels could solve this. Gasket compression in another matter. This will change with different gasket materials, whether a sealing compound is used and especially how tight the sump bolts are. There is a strong chance the seal will be compressed and the bore becoming oval.

After spending nearly a week on my back under the car and dropping the sump three times I am certain the problem with failing seals is the size of the ones sold my MG specialists. After carefully measuring the pulley stub, buying a seal to fit this size and especially turning the engine over before the silicon sets to centralise the seal, my engine is now totally leak free.

Regarding the rear seal I wasn't confident the kits that are one sale would work. I did have an oily patch on the garage floor and when parked up in the rain there was the tell tale rainbow on my drive. I fitted a catcher tank and after 1500 miles there is virtually no oil in it. There are absolutely no drips.

Jan T
J Targosz

A seal with also outer surface in rubber, fitted with a thin layer of sealant, will be rather forgiving, so I am confident it will accept the very minor misalignments that might occur, if the same type of gasket is used. But a properly fitted modern seal should also do the job. However, it appears to be a lot more time consuming to install if the engine is not taken out.

When it comes to the Moss rear seal, it is the only product I know of, that you get no guaranty it will work.
YS Strom

To get the sump and cover properly aligned when reinstalling, it might be worthwhile using a bush the size of the seal.
YS Strom

Sounds a good plan, but with a perfectly fitting bush to receive the lip seal, you may find that the bolt holes in the sump don't line up with the crankcase. In saying this I am assuming that the front seal recess on both parts was cast, rather than machined. Only machining after assembly, would it permit such a bush to fit well.
Dave H
Dave Hill

You could also fit taper pins one lined up.
Regards
Declan
Declan Burns

Taper pins would make a great deal of sense for post assembly machining. No real need with the original factory seal, but its not a very good seal.
Despite that, can't help but think there should be a smarter and easier method of using a lip seal and avoiding machining. Especially when the job is to be done when under the car on your back. Just putting a lip seal in there, then trying to seal around it, without getting sealant everywhere it shouldn't be, is too much of a bodge. Jan T said he did it three times before he got it right, and I certainly failed the last time that I did it.
Dave H
Dave Hill

A dummy seal made out of steel tube will keep the alignment after boring the timing chest/sump. No need for any drilling or dowelling.
Just putting the modern seal in the groove seems to work on some engines and not others.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Here's a link to Horst Wendling's cutter-.
https://www.mgexp.com/phorum/read.php?46,3712812
He has also installed my new needle roller bearing clutch lever and linkage.

Regards
Declan
Declan Burns

I think that the fact that putting a modern seal in works on some engines and not others is mostly down to the skill or good luck of the installer rather than the engine, though some engines may be more difficult than others.
Yes, that tool looks ideal if the engine is out or the rad out and the engine jacked up for clearance. I'm not sure that I have the energy to make one so if I were to do it that way I would look for something off the shelf that can be modified or something even simpler. If the intention was just to remove the front wall of the cavity, a new seal could be slid over the end of the crank and then sealed around the outside. The fact that you could see what you were doing, having removed the face of the cavity should make it a lot more reliable process. Just removing that front wall / face would not require great precision, so I'm wondering if something like a guided burr would do it? Simply a sleeve over the crank end with a shoulder at the back and a hole to act as a bearing for a burr driven from the back. Rotate the burr at high speed as you turn the sleeve around the crank end. You could rely on the seal to keep swarf out of the engine, but I would be inclined to pack it with grease as well. Its just an idea.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Dave,
If you want I can ask Horst if he would lend you the tool. He is not that far from me in Leverkusen. We meet up every few weeks. It was Horst who got the clutch levers laser cut for me and he did the welding and did an excellent job!
Regards
Declan
Declan Burns

Dave

Have you re-installed the pulley with speedisleeve yet?
I can't wait to hear what your result it. Leak gone?

Tom
'54 TF
T Norby

Thanks Declan, but for the moment I am going to try what I have - I was simply musing about what I might do if it still leaks.
Tom. Yes I have fitted the Speedisleeve and the crank pulley, but I still have a few things to do on the car whilst its up on axle stands, before I start it. Its very cold here right now so I am indoors.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Dave,
Would it not be possible to turn a bush from aluminium that would take a modern lip seal? Centre the bush and silicone the whole lot into place.

Regards
Declan
Declan Burns

Declan. It would, and I had a similar idea - I even bought some aluminium tube of a suitable thickness to do that! But then I decided that the same issue remains - you still have to put sealant round it to seal it. However if correctly sized it would have the advantage of ensuring the seal was mounted squarely in the recess. I think its only worth considering if replacing the seal by removing the sump and not doing any other machining. If replacing the seal by removing the radiator and machining the front face of the seal recess away, you should be able to fit the new seal squarely without making a bush.
Dave H
Dave Hill

In my engine the space for the seal was not large enough to accommodate a standard seal properly, so it would have been misaligned if I hadn´t carved out a portion - probably poor casting. A person I know with a lot of experience of XPAG engines had the same problem.
YS Strom

Interesting and surprising. The seal was a loose fit in mine and needed a lot of sealant around it. After assembly I resisted turning the engine over for a day or two in order to allow the sealant to set. However, when I removed the crank pulley recntly I found sealant on the pulley itself in the region of the seal, so the sealant must have run down onto it.
Dave H
Dave Hill

To make sure the seal should be properly aligned, I applied sealant in the block recess and used the bush segment shown in a comment above to place it correctly and left it to harden for a day. Then I applied sealant in the sump recess and bolted it to the block.

The seal in the ground recess is of course a different story. That I pushed home with a thin layer of sealant appplied in the recess.
YS Strom

Sounds like a good approach, which I will try to remember.
Dave H
Dave Hill

I'm not dumb but until know I'm dizzled.

So please forgive my question - I guess it may have been answered many times.

1. Is it possible to get a non dripping engine with the old style seals?

2. The front seal Moss or B&G sells - can it be mount without a tool?

3. In which case is a tool for the front seal necessary and where to buy?

4. Does a tool come with the MOSS rear seal?
W_Mueller

You may be able to get an original front seal to work but the rear one will always drip slightly. Even when set up correctly there will be a small amount of oil in the scroll thread and this will drip when the engine is turned off. As I mentioned previously there was an oil patch on the garage floor and more annoyingly a coloured rainbow on the drive whenever it rained. Even though it is totally against my principles as an engineer I fitted a catcher tank to the bell housing and even included a drain tap in this. The tap is totally unnecessary. After a year of use there is absolutely no drip from the rear of the engine and there was so little oil in the tank when I removed it for a clean all that was necessary was a wipe with a rag. After my brother, who is a first class hydraulics engineer, fitted an "updated" rear seal to his TF he had to use saw dust to clear up the oil on his workshop floor. He now has both an updated seal and a catcher tank!

You do not need any special tooling to upgrade the front seal. It is a "simple" matter of removing the pulley, timing chain chest and sump and then dispensing with the old seal. The new circular seal fits into the groove where the old one once sat but since it is a loose fit it needs sealing with high grade silicon. I would not buy a front seal from a MG spares outfit. They are all of a standard size and the boss on the pulley can vary in diameter. Take your pulley to a bearing supplier and ask them for a seal to fit yours specifically. The OD should be 47m/m and the width 7m/m.

Cheers

Jan T
J Targosz

You also have to make sure that the sealing surface on the pulley is free from grooves and scratches. If it isn't you need to clean it thoroughly and fit a Speedisleeve. I had no issue at all using a seal from the usual suppliers. The main problem as Jan T says is that seal is a loose fit in the groove. This is made worse by the groove being divided between the crankcase and the sump, i.e. there is a joint line through the centre. The two halves of the groove may not match perfectly. Getting the seal to sit squarely in the groove and fill around the outside of it with sealant so that it does not leak is difficult, especially if replacing the sump on your back under the car. Replacing the seal when the engine is mounted on an engine stand out of the car is easier, but not foolproof, though YS Strom suggested a way of doing it. The alternative is to machine away the front of the groove cavity so that you can fit the sump and then the seal and the pulley. This last method is clearly best as it gives you good visual acces to the opened out groove.
Dave H
Dave Hill

I've thought of fitting a washer to act as a spacer to take up the room between the seal and groove. It would need to be thick enough to take up the front to rear space but have a large enough ID to not come close to the crank. It would be great if someone made a seal that filled the groove.

Tim
Timothy Burchfield

Yes, but the two halves of the groove often do not match / meet together without a step.
Dave H
Dave Hill

With the Moss rear seal kit installed a flange on the shaft will run in a pool of oil and act as a centrifugal pump, that will build up a pressure on the lip seal. In an earlier thread I showed pics how to form a duct from the pool in the bearing block to the sump to drain it. It required also a rubber seal with a hole between the bearing block and the sump. When driving it leaked approx. one drop in 10 km. After parking there were no drops in 30 min. Front seal did not leak at all. But how long it will last is another question.
YS Strom

Dave, then you could use a a split washer to match the different diameters of the top and bottom of the groove. I plan on pulling the engine this winter so I'll experiment with the washer. I too tried to install the lip seal from underneath and it was a disaster. But my oil pan and the chassis behind it will never rust.

Tim
Timothy Burchfield

As the washer will not make it oil tight I cannot see the use of it. The Surface in the grove is very rough, so it will be the sealant that will prevent it from leaking and as the grove is not machined it cannot be used for getting the seal properly lined. That will require a bush segment.
YS Strom

If you are going to pull the engine, you may as well machine away the front face of the groove. You will then be able see what you are doing when you replace the seal and sealing around it.
Dave H
Dave Hill

YS Strom. You are correct but I would still use sealant. The washer is just to ensure that the seal stays perpendicular to the crankshaft.

Dave, that is probably the best solution. I'm just adverse to making modifications that can't be undone.

Tim
Timothy Burchfield


Timothy

I understand that you meant to use both washer and sealant.

However, in my two engines, the coarse cast surfaces have not been flat and far away from 90 deg. to the shaft. I.e. the seal is likely to end up in a wrong position if orientated from theses surfaces and consequently it is likely to leak.

I Think it is important to bond in the seal properly in the cover and wait for a day. If the sump with sealant in the grove is fitted at the same time, it is likely the seal will change position.

I have full respect for those who are not prepared to make changes that cannot be undone. But I also understand those who make a minor alteration that cannot be seen and will prevent leakage and save them all the trouble described above. Therefore I enclose a picture of a tool for grinding a recess for a seal, that can be done with engine in bay.



YS Strom

Thanks for this discussion.

I am new to the TD. I'm working on a slow restoration, beginning with the safety items, suspension, steering and brakes.

When I acquired the car, the car started, ran and stopped.

I will do the entire engine at a later time.

I had to tear down to this point to get to the steering rack and the water pump. While I'm looking at this part of the engine, I would like to address the oil leak at the crankshaft pulley.

Do I understand from the above discussion that if I replace the original front seal with a modern seal, I will have to do some metalwork to the block?

If I were to install the new pulley as supplied by Brown & Gammons, would I avoid the need to do the metalwork?

Thanks for your help.

Ron


Ron McDonald

You won't be able to replace the original seal with a modern lip seal unless you remove the sump or machine away the front face of the seal housing (both processes described above). The new seal is a loose fit in the seal housing / groove and therefore needs care to fit and plenty of sealant around it.
The original crank pulley should be inspected carefully for cracks or damage. If the pulley spigot / seal surface has any grooves, scratches, etc., then fit a Speedisleeve (easy to do). On the back of the pulley you will probably observe some part drilled holes - these were made as a part of the balancing process for the crank / pulley / clutch assembly. If you exchange the pulley for a new one then the balance may be out of kilter, so don't change it unless the original is compromised by damage or you are rebuilding the engine anyway and having all of it rebalanced.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Thank you, Dave, for the clarification.

I will leave the task for a time when I have the engine out. My dad used to say, "Oil is cheap repairs."

I can live with the condition for a while.
Ron McDonald

Dave
Is this the weekend you are reinstalling the pulley? I am on pins and needles to hear your outcome.
If you are rid of the oil seepage, I plan to do the same thing.

Tom
'54 TF
T Norby

Its reinstalled, but I have been away for a week. In addition I have started other maintenance. I want to top up the oil in the Ford Type9 gearbox, but have so far failed to remove the filler / level plug - a common issue I believe. I left it soaking in penetrant and haven't had a chance since I got back of attempting to loosen it. I think it won't be until Spring that I discover whether the front seal still leaks.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Dave,
When you manage to get the plug out replace it with a brass plug 1/2"
This is what I bought but have not fitted it yet.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/B2-00675-Hexagonal-Plug-Solid-NPT-Male-Thread-1-2/322958035530?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

My intention is to bore a hole in the centre and sweat solder a pipe stud with a plastic cap/bung or thread it for a BSP fitting. I already have a filler cap on the top of the T9 gearbox cover so I can fill it from the tub and a helper can check to see when the level is reached and the oil runs out the side filler by removing the cap/bung. I will replace that filler cap on the cover with a barbed version and run a tube with a stopper into the engine bay so it is easily topped up. None of us are getting any younger.

Regards
Declan


Declan Burns

Excellent. Thanks Declan - I bought it. Didn't know what the thread size was, so might have bought an iron replacement, as per original, but brass is better.
Its a difficult thing to get at on the side of the gearbox from under the car - there is only just enough room for a hex key and a spanner will be better. Last time that I topped it up I used a long plastic tube to a funnel raised above the car, which works, but is slow.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Dave,
On the dimension sheet it states 1/2"x14 dryseal NPSF.

I hope I bought the correct plug.
Regards
Declan

Declan Burns

Home made tooö for T9 plug.

YS Strom

Looks good - better than an allen key.
Not to worry Declan, its an inexpensive mistake if it is one.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Dave Hill

Have you been able to fire up your engine to test your speedisleeve fix yet?

Tom
'54 TF
T Norby

No, but it will be soon.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Now I have run it - not many miles yet, but its a start. No leaks! Zero!
Dave H
Dave Hill

Dave Hill

How is your engine doing this summer with regards to front crank oil leaks?

T Norby

Yes. Not run it much but the front seal is far far better than it ever was. Definitely worth doing in my case.
Dave H
Dave Hill

This thread was discussed between 21/10/2018 and 21/07/2019

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