Oil Leak

majordad1 · Post by **majordad1** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 3:05 pm

My Brumby has developed an increasing leak from what I believe is the rear crank seal and has just got worse since I put the kit thru the oil pump a week or two back. My theory is the newly kitted Oil pump may have upped the oil pressure some (don,t have a gauge so can't check it pre/post kit) which is forcing more oil thru the seal. What do you guys think, a reasonable theory ?

Plan to have a new seal put in soon as ,but I am past doing that myself, anyone have an idea of cost ? Majordad

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 7:29 pm

Oil pressure shouldn't affect the rear or front main seals, as there is no oil pressure behind them. Just what oil splashes up on their backside when the engine is running.

Are you sure it is the rear main seal? I once had a leak which I thought was rear main, turns out it was the oil pump that was actually leaking and oil was running along underneath the engine (blown backwards when driving) onto the engine crossmember and then dripping onto the ground from there.

Might be worth cleaning and de-greasing the underside of your engine to clean up the oil and have another look in a weeks time to confirm where the oil is coming from. In my case the oil pump itself was cracked.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 10:36 pm

The rear main seal: aftermarket ~$35 for a decent brand. From Subaru ~$45 I thnk, ask frog, he'll know!

It's not an expensive job, just a time consuming one for such a simple part. It's a good time to check/replace a work clutch disc and do any other little seals/ odd jobs on the engine while its out.

Thinking about it, for the ea81s I tend to pull the engine for this work but an EJ I'd probably pull the gearbox and do it...

After doing the above as mentioned by Silverbullet, check the type of oil that's being dropped. It could the the front seal of the gearbox leaking, but you'd probably also have an oil soaked clutch I'd imagine...

Also, I've just done the same work - engine out, new rear main, new front crank seal, oil pump resealed and a new sump gasket. I would've also done the rocker cover gaskets but they're new from last sept so all good there. This was an easy weekend job that included a few hours at a car show

Cheers

Bennie

majordad1 · Post by **majordad1** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 11:42 pm

Sam, don't think it's the Oil pump leaking, have a small amount coming from it around where filter goes on but that is only since I took it off when I put the kit in and then put old filter back. Have a new genuine Suby item coming from Griffith which will solve that problem. Did the de-grease today and still pretty sure it's the rear seal. Guy I bought the brumby off put a new clutch in it around 12-18 months ago and not to sure if he put a new seal in then which should be mandatory when you do a clutch. Cheers Majordad

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sun Jun 28, 2015 3:42 am

Just wanted to make sure

It's a pain having to take the engine out for such a small item. But as Bennie says a good time to check the clutch and what not. Definitely easier to pull the engine and do it; undo the hoses and cables, 6 nuts/bolts around the g/box/cross member and the engine is out. Then you've got great access to the back end of the engine for your seal pullers etc. Make sure you put the seal in the right way around

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Jun 28, 2015 3:44 pm

Seal pullers? I've always just ripped it out with a screw driver! I've seen a set of hooks a mate's made up and uses - they seem effective.

I can understand why some don't do the rear main - those bolts can be pretty intimidating!

Cheers

Bennie

majordad1 · Post by **majordad1** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 9:20 pm

Well, Silver Bullet you where right young fella, just put the genuine Oil Filter on started the old bus up and sure enough there was the leak, from somewhere up the top of the oil pump. I am hoping like hell its just the bolts need nipping up and not a crack. How easy is it to spot a crack in them by the way. Asyou suggested oil is coming out the top of pump just a wee drip at a time then running down onto sump along the bottom and dropping off just at the rear of the motor.
Looks like tomorrow nights project damn it. Majordad

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 9:35 pm

Have a new crank seal on hand as this could actually be the issue as it was for me.

Cheers

Bennie

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Tue Jun 30, 2015 3:27 am

majordad1 wrote:Well, Silver Bullet you where right young fella, just put the genuine Oil Filter on started the old bus up and sure enough there was the leak, from somewhere up the top of the oil pump. I am hoping like hell its just the bolts need nipping up and not a crack. How easy is it to spot a crack in them by the way. Asyou suggested oil is coming out the top of pump just a wee drip at a time then running down onto sump along the bottom and dropping off just at the rear of the motor.
Looks like tomorrow nights project damn it. Majordad

Dang!

Well at least you don't have to pull the motor out. It's an annoying place to spot where the leak is coming from if it's up the top of the pump. Here's hoping it's as simple as a loose bolt or gasket.

Good luck!

majordad1 · Post by **majordad1** » Fri Jul 03, 2015 12:16 pm

Well, pulled everything off Wednesday night including the main pulley this time so I could get a decent go at top 2 bolts. Tensioned them up to correct torque which still left me wondering if they were tight enough all the same.
Put everything back on, fired her up and bugger me if it's still not leaking. Not as bad as before but still dripping slightly. I guess I will have to go and do it all again and this time take the pump off which will mean I'll probably bugger the gasket up in the process. Question is can you get just a gasket without the whole kit I wonder ? I will take a little more care this time when loosening the pulley bolt as I am not very popular with she who must be obeyed whose near new Cerato has a new ding in it courtesy of the flying Socket extension bar syndrome when some idiot set the thing up thinking engine turned anti clockwise and when starter was activated said extension bar flew out of engine bay did 5 360's before striking said Cerato end on just behind passenger rear door. Bloody amatuers.

Majordad

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Fri Jul 03, 2015 6:06 pm

Subaru dealers make the kit up out of individual part numbers, so yeah, you can just get the gasket. Flip in a new oil pressure switch too available most parts places made by or marketed as Tridon OP#8 ?

FROG · Post by **FROG** » Sat Jul 04, 2015 10:36 am

majordad1 wrote:question is can you get just a gasket without the whole kit i wonder ?

Majordad

424207000 $4

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Jul 04, 2015 7:08 pm

Or if you were good at cut and paste as a little one you could make one up from the side of a wheatie's packet, or corn flakes/rice bubbles packet will do the same thing

Not trying to take business away from FROG but many paper gaskets can be made using that thin type of cardboard

I'd also be replacing the crank oil seal if you haven't already.

Cheers

Bennie

Wooster · Post by **Wooster** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 10:33 am

When working on my classic motorbikes, I have used with great success the "wax" coated cardboard from milk cartons as gaskets - never failed ..........yet

majordad1 · Post by **majordad1** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 7:05 pm

Ok Oil Leak all fixed. Took the pump off and apart today to find O ring that sits on top of spring and ball bearing was all scrunched up and would not have sealed when 2 pump halves were mated together. Turns out had the wrong thickness O ring in wrong spot. There is 2 of them in the kit same dia. but 1 is thicker than other. Thin one has to go on top of spring thicker one on outer part of pump body.
My first attempt at one of these so have learnt the hard way and cost me bugger all fortunately. Had a good look at Front crank seal while I was at it, all good there nice and dry around it. Majordad

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