Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[1stpop]

Having recently changed the engine oil and topped up the gear box oil I seem to have a leak. I have cleaned all round and finally found that is is coming from a small hole just in front of the the drain plug on the gear box. I looked through the book and cant find any answers and it didnt leak before. Any suggestions (bet its going to be something expensive!!)

Its a lovely Morris 8 Series E 1946

[Penman]

Hi
Can't think of any legitimate reason for another hole next to the drain plug.
So, could it be a hole which has developed due to oxidisation on the outside coupled with a porous casting.

Perhaps you could seal it by drilling and tapping it and inserting another screw plug of suitable size
_________________
Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[Jim.Walker]

Is the hole far enough in front of the drain plug to be into the bell housing?
If so the problem could be engine oil from the back main bearing or gearbox oil from the first motion (input) shaft bearing. Bell housings usually have such a hole.
_________________
Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then!

[1stpop]

Ive added a picture to show where the oil is leaking from

[Churchill Johnson]

yes that is the bell housing, and as been stated it will be either the rear main engine leaking or the gearbox if it is the box and it do's not normally need topping up it will be the engine you may also be able to tell if it's the eng if the oil is a little black in the sump and its the same colour dripping out then again it must be the eng.

[victor 101]

Seeing as it's only happened since you topped up the oil in the gearbox, I think we can safely assume that its leaking from the first motion shaft, I have no experience of Morris 8 so don't know what type of seal is used or wether it is just a spiral on the shaft that stops the oil escaping when the engine is running.
regards Rod.

[Roger-hatchy]

This 'Drain hole'
On many a car I have seen this hole fitted with a loose fitting split pin.
I presume this is to stop the hole from becoming blocked by sludge etc.
Being a loose fit it will move with the vibration / movement from the car / engine so keeping the hole free from gunge.

[1stpop]

there is a loose fitting split pin in the next section between this area and the engine

[Roger-hatchy]

That'll teach me to look properly

The split pin in the rear of the engine sump is what I meant.

I would think if it was engine oil the leaking it would show on the sump side.
If this leak is from just this hole then I would suspect the gearbox.

Not been asked,
was the gearbox drained before you filled it, if not how much did you need to top up, most gearboxes should not need regular top ups if any at all.
If it needed more than a splash I'd check the front GB seal.

Roger

[Jim.Walker]

If the cross section shown is of your gearbox, then it is quite cear that the "oil seal" is merely a "flinger ring". which rotates with the shaft
and "flings" off the oil like a catherine wheel.
Since the oil level should be well below the bearing and ring there should be no leak when stationary, nor when moving because of the flinger ring.
Are you sure you have not got too much oil in the gearbox to above the level of the level bung - or possibly the dipstick mark if fitted?
If over filling is not the problem, I'm afraid the problem is most likely engine oil. But then again over-filling the engine could cause the problem (among others).
That bottom bolt in the front flange (below the front bearing) also looks as if it might cause an oil leak if it has come loose because the bolt hole is not "blind" and goes right through the casing.
Jim.
_________________
Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then!

[Jim.Walker]

[Roger-hatchy]

As Arkwright would say J,J,J Jiggle it about.

Thanks Jim, had forgotten that.

[ukdave2002]

I have rebuilt 3 of the series E box's, there are no seals (apart from a felt on on the rear, that was missing on all the box's I rebuilt!)

Jim is correct the box relies on machined scrolls to throw the oil back in the box, if the box is over filled there is a hole to feed the excess oil out in to the bell housing and out of the jiggle pin hole.

I suspect its just overfilled, but if its more serious the good news is that the box is very simple to work on, somewhere on this forum I posted some pics on my SE box rebuild, I also added modern seals to the front and rear to aid the scrolls.

Dave

[PAUL BEAUMONT]

Tend to agree with Dave. It is very easy to get neurotic about oil leaks on motors of this age. Many had only rudimentary seals anyway and in some cases total loss lubrication was employed. I suspect that the box is overfilled and it probably didn't leak before because it had almost no oil in it!
So long as you have used the correct grade of oil and not some modern synthetic or detergent laden stuff and it is not making serious puddles on the floor I would ignore it as it will probably go away!!

Paul

[1stpop]

I think your right and its overfilled although its difficult to tell even by reading the dipstick which just says 'full'. Once again thanks to you all for the excellent advice

No doubt i'll be back for more