Expensive Oil Leaks
Discussion
Just got my Griff back from having a rear Crankshaft Oil Seal replaced because it was leaking oil and I'm very glad I did.
Now to go back to the end of May I took the car to David Batty's for it's 30k service and told him it was leaking the odd bit of oil onto the garage floor and could he check it out whilst servicing it. When I collected the car David said it was the sump that was leaking and he'd replaced the sealant around it to prevent it leaking any more. I'm aware that this is a fairly common occurance and that this method of using sealant around the sump is also heavily used.
All in all I was very impressed with his service but a couple of weeks later oil had started to leak from it again but this time it was a touch worse so got an experienced local mechanic to have a look underneath and tell me where the new leak was. As it turned out it was the rear crankshaft oil seal and he kindly informed me that it would be a bitch of a job but that I should get it sorted asap as the leaking oil could ruin the clutch.
I didn't have the time to take it over to David Batty again so got Castlesport to do the work as they could do it the same week. Now this is where the plot thickens so to speak!
Whilst doing the work Castlesport phoned me up and said that the sump had been untidily covered in sealant and that they didn't recommend that particular method and said I should have a gasket fitted to hold it in place. Not being brilliant with the mechanical side of things and it not costing much I agreed to have this done but they also pointed out that when they removed the sump, some of the sealant had unattached itself and was actually in the sump itself, blocking the oil strainer and starving the engine of oil.
This had the alarm bells ringing!! I'd noticed the oil pressure had been slightly low but just thought that the leaking oil might have been to blame but the guy at Castlesport showed me the offending bits of rubber when I picked the car up and explained what it would have done to the engine if left like it. End result being not much oil getting around the engine and a very expensive repair bill to replace the knackered V8!!
All in all I always tent to take mechanics with a pinch of salt. This being my first TVR I've only ever heard very good comments about David Batty and haven't phoned him to comment on the possible problem. Could Castlesport have been trying to discredit them?? I don't honesty think that at all or that David Batty does shoddy work, it's just got me thinking that maybe I was lucky?
I'd be interested to hear anyone's thoughts on this whole sealant round the sump thing though and if anyone's ever had the same problem with some of it blocking the oil strainer. Steve's book says this is the way to go but not if it ruins your engine!!!
Cheers - Chris
>>> Edited by Painey on Wednesday 9th July 14:09
Now to go back to the end of May I took the car to David Batty's for it's 30k service and told him it was leaking the odd bit of oil onto the garage floor and could he check it out whilst servicing it. When I collected the car David said it was the sump that was leaking and he'd replaced the sealant around it to prevent it leaking any more. I'm aware that this is a fairly common occurance and that this method of using sealant around the sump is also heavily used.
All in all I was very impressed with his service but a couple of weeks later oil had started to leak from it again but this time it was a touch worse so got an experienced local mechanic to have a look underneath and tell me where the new leak was. As it turned out it was the rear crankshaft oil seal and he kindly informed me that it would be a bitch of a job but that I should get it sorted asap as the leaking oil could ruin the clutch.
I didn't have the time to take it over to David Batty again so got Castlesport to do the work as they could do it the same week. Now this is where the plot thickens so to speak!
Whilst doing the work Castlesport phoned me up and said that the sump had been untidily covered in sealant and that they didn't recommend that particular method and said I should have a gasket fitted to hold it in place. Not being brilliant with the mechanical side of things and it not costing much I agreed to have this done but they also pointed out that when they removed the sump, some of the sealant had unattached itself and was actually in the sump itself, blocking the oil strainer and starving the engine of oil.
This had the alarm bells ringing!! I'd noticed the oil pressure had been slightly low but just thought that the leaking oil might have been to blame but the guy at Castlesport showed me the offending bits of rubber when I picked the car up and explained what it would have done to the engine if left like it. End result being not much oil getting around the engine and a very expensive repair bill to replace the knackered V8!!
All in all I always tent to take mechanics with a pinch of salt. This being my first TVR I've only ever heard very good comments about David Batty and haven't phoned him to comment on the possible problem. Could Castlesport have been trying to discredit them?? I don't honesty think that at all or that David Batty does shoddy work, it's just got me thinking that maybe I was lucky?
I'd be interested to hear anyone's thoughts on this whole sealant round the sump thing though and if anyone's ever had the same problem with some of it blocking the oil strainer. Steve's book says this is the way to go but not if it ruins your engine!!!
Cheers - Chris
>>> Edited by Painey on Wednesday 9th July 14:09
simpo one said:
I'm no expert but it's hard to see how sealant would find it's way uphill - against gravity and against oil pressure - through a crack only thousandths of an inch think.
I guess the moral is 'question everything' and always get at least two opinions if in doubt.
It wouldn't have to tho' if it was applied too liberaly and a chunk fell off inside the sump. Then it's just got to plop into the oil & then get hoovered up by the pump.
Leadfoot said:
It wouldn't have to tho' if it was applied too liberaly and a chunk fell off inside the sump. Then it's just got to plop into the oil & then get hoovered up by the pump.
That's what Mike at Castlesport said he thought had happened. The offending bits of sealant were enough to cause a good blockage and when he showed me an oil strainer he had in the workshop it was easy to see why it was preventing oil from getting to the engine.
Bit of a boring subject this but I'm extremely glad that it's not still there. Nice to know I haven't got some bit of crap leading my engine to an early grave, especially the way I drive!!!
Whilst on this subject, I have got a 1992 Griff and was told by Peninsula recently that there is a minor leak at the same seal and that it would ultimately need doing but suggested that as it was so minor and the clutch will need doing anyway in the next few thousand miles to wait and get it all done together when the clutch gives up. Would you r/mend having this job done at a TVr specialist or would it be OK to have it done by a "normal" mechanic with rover experience thus being cheaper?
I have had varying views from friends.
I have had varying views from friends.
I've certainly been told by another specialist that it should have silicone and not a gasket.
I'm sure that Castlesport know what they are talking about but ........ I think that the silicone would float on oil, so shouldn't get into strainer, as strainer should always be covered by oil.
Mike.
I'm sure that Castlesport know what they are talking about but ........ I think that the silicone would float on oil, so shouldn't get into strainer, as strainer should always be covered by oil.
Mike.
the sealant method is TVRs std way of sealing the sump .. most of the time it works perfectly well, although once oil has breached the sealant it won't re-seal again without taking the sump off and cleaning it all right off and re-applying.
I use a gasket when this happens, but these have their own problems - they can split very easily which is why I try to have a car a few days so i can glue the gasket onto the sump overnight with sikaflex windscreen adhesive (sets like setty stuff) - that way the gasket won't split and can be re-tightened at a future date if it starts to leak again without having to remove the whole lot once more.
A word about Dave Batty .. met him for the first time at pistonfest, had previously only spoken to him on the phone and heard of his deserved excellent reputation. he really does seem to be as good as the comments on here would have you believe - genuinely enthusiastic and very keen to make good servicing available at the right price, I have no doubt that the work he'd done on the car woud have been to the highest standard.
A word about Castlesports.. don't know anything about them, but also i would think they are a very worthy outfit with great experience .. so who to believe? .. well sealant was found according to castlesport and Dave had resealed the sump. However seeing as TVR use this method could the sealant have been left lurking from their sealer attempt when the engine was built? and from what I know of Rover strainers and pick-ups it would have to be a very large piece to ever compromise the flow rate of the oil pump. i know I've sat on the fence there, but I really can't see from the evidence if there's any fault to apportion. Breathe a sigh of relief and carry on driving
I use a gasket when this happens, but these have their own problems - they can split very easily which is why I try to have a car a few days so i can glue the gasket onto the sump overnight with sikaflex windscreen adhesive (sets like setty stuff) - that way the gasket won't split and can be re-tightened at a future date if it starts to leak again without having to remove the whole lot once more.
A word about Dave Batty .. met him for the first time at pistonfest, had previously only spoken to him on the phone and heard of his deserved excellent reputation. he really does seem to be as good as the comments on here would have you believe - genuinely enthusiastic and very keen to make good servicing available at the right price, I have no doubt that the work he'd done on the car woud have been to the highest standard.
A word about Castlesports.. don't know anything about them, but also i would think they are a very worthy outfit with great experience .. so who to believe? .. well sealant was found according to castlesport and Dave had resealed the sump. However seeing as TVR use this method could the sealant have been left lurking from their sealer attempt when the engine was built? and from what I know of Rover strainers and pick-ups it would have to be a very large piece to ever compromise the flow rate of the oil pump. i know I've sat on the fence there, but I really can't see from the evidence if there's any fault to apportion. Breathe a sigh of relief and carry on driving
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