oil leak from timing cover

[Rich]

Good evening all,

 

I've finally found the source of an oil leak and its coming from the bottom of the timing cover. I'm going to take it off and replace the seal and also do the crank rubber seal whilst I'm there.

 

Is there anything I should be aware of and would I have to take off the timing chain to get to the oil seal? Common sense says yes but thought I'd ask you knowledgeable folks.

 

Thank you

 

Rich

[JohnD]

The oil seal is in the cover.

It runs on the nose spacer, one of which's faces has a chamfered edge. You can leave it on the crank and push the seal and cover back on, chamfer OUT

OR

Mount the cover without the spacer, and push in in after, chamfer IN.

 

The leak is likely to be from your DPO being too hamhanded when tightening the lower bolt that secures the cover. It goes into the alloy bridge piece and Triumph should have used a Coarse thread, but they didn't and it strips. Consider buying a new, steel copy if it has.

 

John

[Clive]

Indeed that ali block causes all sorts of issues.

However, steel bridge is one solution, the are others.

The simple one is to drill and retap a larger size. I don't own any UNC taps, so I used 10mm and had to re-drill the sump, but inthis case timing cover, to suit. Cap headset screws would be ideal as teh 10mm bolt heads were too large, had to file down.

Better still, helicoil. Both solutions should be do-able in situ. though I have managed to get the block out, and refit using silicone sealant.

 

f course, this is assuming the ali block is at fault (very likely in my experience)

[Pete Lewis]

You can leave the chain alone, unless you want to change it.

you will need to make a rod/hook to colapse the chain tensioner when refiting the cover

this can be a right faf. With six pair of hands and just when you think youve won it all lets go.

 

check the new oil seal a metal cased one is best ive found many of the plastic ones will not fit firmlyin the tin cover they are too thick.

 

if the running spacer johns explaining has a wear groove you can turn it around or replace it to get the seal away from the wear line note what he says about the chamfer

 

Club shop sell the steel bridge , belt and braces , ive done as Clive suggests

by increasing the bolt size

 

many get stripped by long bolts that bottom out when being tightend.

 

keep them short !!

[Colin Lindsay]

Removing the front pulley can be a nightmare. Best method I've ever found is an impact wrench.

If you're going to the bother of removing the cover I'd replace the timing chain and tensioner at the same time, then you'll know everything is as good as can be when you refit the cover.

[Pete Lewis]

Read up how the gear has offset holes to adjust the cam timing

this can be a fiddle , and read up how to check the cam timing on the car ,

this can be done quite simply without stripping anything

But on changing the chain you must check out the cam timing

pete

[Clive]

Beware nasty timing chain tensioners! seen a couple that look as if they are made out of a bean can and bent with pliers. Very nasty, better sticking with the old one often.

Likewise seals, I spent time finding payen seals, they do turn up on ebay and suchlike. Most suppliers send one that is much thinner than the original, though often seem to work OK (but not always!) plus I had heard that shortening the tension spring in the seal can be a handy but very simple mod.

[dougbgt6]

Rich,

 

When I put my engine back together after a re-bore and re-grind the shop had, for some good reason, re-ground the front of the crank as well as the journals. To accommodate this they gave me an oversize rubber seal for the timing chain cover. Something to check before you go ahead!

 

Or,

 

leave it alone! The oil leak is part of Triumph's sophisticated anti rust system, with the added bonus of that authentic 70s motoring smell.

[Rich]

Thank you all for your replies, I think I'll take of the cover and have a look at the timing chain and associated items before making my mind up which parts to replace.

 

Kind regards

 

Rich

[Pete Lewis]

Rich do have a good clean and trace the oil leak carefully the stripped cover bolts and same with sump bolts are generally the problem rather than the seal itself

of you remove the cover check the parts list for what length goes were there are a number of longer and shorter bolts and set screws which all get mixed over the years and wrong bolts in wrong holes cause the problems.

Pete

[Rich]

Many thanks Pete, as always very helpful.

 

Regards

 

Rich

[Rich]

It was as expected, the timing cover was ok it was one of the bolts at the front of the sump which goes straight into the alloy bridge.  I managed to get the stripped bolt in with a dollop of Hydromar and got a good (ish) purchase.  Nipped up the remainder and oil leak gone (for now anyway).  When I've got time ill change it to a steel bridge.

 

many thanks for all your help

[Pete Lewis]

you can tap it oversize  on the car without removing the bridge    worth  a try next time  first 

[Rich]

cheers Pete

 

Regards

 

Rich