Leak Identified.... Now What?

[22350]

So, my E1 has less than 1000 miles on it.  Everything is new.

 

I have been struggling with an oil leak, which was messing with the clutch.  

 

We pulled the transmission "AGAIN" and ran the engine to find where it was really leaking from.

 

It is the rear crank seal.  The motor has a rope seal on the rear and it went in very well on the rebuild.

 

Does anyone have any advice on what steps can be taken on the replacement, so that we are not just pulling everything out and putting back together for more leaking?

 

What rope seals are you folks using?  Is there a difference?

[wayno]

Did a professional install the rope seal?

 

I did my own rope seal install on my Datsun Roaster 25 years ago(my first time), when I put half in and clamped the rear main down and then took it off again to see how I did there was a gap, it pulled/pushed the seal deeper into the groove, it took me 3 times to get it right, my Roadster engine did not leak while it had that engine in it, one has to know how to install them, Nissan had a tool, I just used the rear main cap/crank.

Edited June 28, 2023 by wayno

[22350]

1 hour ago, wayno said:

Did a professional install the rope seal?

 

I did my own rope seal install on my Datsun Roaster 25 years ago(my first time), when I put half in and clamped the rear main down and then took it off again to see how I did there was a gap, it pulled/pushed the seal deeper into the groove, it took me 3 times to get it right, my Roadster engine did not leak while it had that engine in it, one has to know how to install them, Nissan had a tool, I just used the rear main cap/crank.

So is the roadster seal the same as the e1? Some are saying 3/8" graphite rope, but it is square and the roadster one doesn't appear square.  Could it be the same as the jaguar?.....   This image is from another build but it appears to be a roadster seal set

[jagman]

My Jaguar uses a rope seal and after two tries I learned the secret to these.  Use it all. Compress it in the grove after you have greased it and don't cut what appears to be excess.  Should not be much after compressing it. Where the two pieces will mate put some  additional grease on the ends and lock it into place.  If you are doing it in with engine assembled use a thin wire to pull the upper rope through the grove and compress it from the entry side until all of the seal is in place.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

You may want to stagger the ends of the seal. Meaning, one end is short and one extends into the other side of the block or cap.

 

The first rope seal I ever installed, I could have sworn it was too tight, but they are supposed to be tight. So tight that it may be hard to turn the crank by hand.

 

Also, the side seals get dipped in either Gasgacinch or Permatex gasket sealer before going to their home.

[22350]

30 minutes ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

You may want to stagger the ends of the seal. Meaning, one end is short and one extends into the other side of the block or cap.

 

The first rope seal I ever installed, I could have sworn it was too tight, but they are supposed to be tight. So tight that it may be hard to turn the crank by hand.

 

Also, the side seals get dipped in either Gasgacinch or Permatex gasket sealer before going to their home.

Are the rope seals that you have used the square graphite impregnated seals?

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

I don't recall square, but yes, graphite coated.

[thisismatt]

Assembly lube or oiled before the crank goes in?

[wayno]

20 hours ago, 22350 said:

So is the roadster seal the same as the e1? Some are saying 3/8" graphite rope, but it is square and the roadster one doesn't appear square.  Could it be the same as the jaguar?.....   This image is from another build but it appears to be a roadster seal set

 

So here is the thing, I put my own R16 block together after the machine shop did everything that needed to be done to the block, my rope seal looked like the one in the photo you published, I have never had but one E1 block oil pan off and it was a 1962 E1 engine, it did not have a rope seal, it had a large cavity next to where the crank exited the block, that cavity had a drain tube that ended at the rear of the oil pan about an inch from the bottom, I had the oil pan off because oil was leaking out of the transmission drain hole, this happened because the engine had set so long without running that the oil had gelled in the oil pan blocking the drain tube at the rear of the crank, the oil was pouring out because it could not drain into the oil pan.

 

When I pulled that rear main cap off I was stunned, there was no seal at all, when I started that engine after cleaning out the oil pan and drain tube it did not leak oil anymore.

 

I have never had a E1 engine apart that had a rope seal, but I figured that a rope seal is a rope seal and posted my experience with the Roadster rebuild.